Looking for an adult and kid-friendly cupcake that’s beautiful and so easy? Don’t miss this incredible recipe for Pull-Apart Vanilla-Wafer Cupcakes from Martha Stewart Living.

Festive, delicious, and make ahead, yes please! These cupcakes are a real crowd pleaser and great for your next get together.
Pull-Apart Vanilla-Wafer Cupcakes
The base of the recipe starts with vanilla-wafer cookies that are finely ground in a food processor. This gives the entire cupcake such a nice texture and flavor that hints at vanilla, but is not too sweet. Adding shredded coconut furthers the amazing texture and flavor combination of this cupcake. Not a fan of coconut, you can just leave it out.
However, the very best part of the recipe? The delicious and oh-so-easy whipped cream frosting which gets spread over the top of all the cupcakes. It took about a minute to put on the frosting, whereas frosting individual cupcakes would take forever.
To make ahead, just bake the cupcakes and cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day in advance, or freeze for up to a week. The morning of, just take out the cupcakes and frost about 1-3 hours before serving. Lastly, top with berries. And that’s it!
My tips for this recipe: be sure to beat the whipped cream in a cold metal bowl, and don’t worry about setting the cupcakes up in a rectangular shape. I did mine on a round cake stand and it looked just as beautiful.
Adults love these cupcakes as much as the kiddos too. So give these Pull-Apart Vanilla-Wafer Cupcakes a try and have a festive desert for your next get together.
Pull-Apart Vanilla-Wafer Cupcakes Cake with Berries
Ingredients
- 45 vanilla-wafer cookies pulsed finely in a food processor until finely ground (1 ½ cups)
- ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups mixed fresh berries such as blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together cookie crumbs, flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat butter with granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until combined after each addition. Fold in coconut.
- Divide batter among cups. Bake until cupcakes are golden brown and centers bounce back when gently pressed, 22 to 24 minutes. Let cool completely in tin on a wire rack.
- Add 2 tablespoons water to small saucepan. Sprinkle with gelatin; let stand until thick, about 5 minutes. Gently heat over medium until gelatin has dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes (but don’t let it set).
- Beat together cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until very soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Add gelatin mixture; beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more.
- Remove cupcakes from tin and arrange on a platter in a three-by-four rectangle. Spoon frosting over each row of cupcakes; using an offset spatula, smooth to cover tops, forming a rectangular shape. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. Sprinkle with berries before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Check out my super easy and kid-friendly Strawberry Cupcakes. And if you’re celebrating the 4th of July with these cupcakes, don’t miss my Complete 4th of July Menu!
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