A box of cake mix makes 24 stuffed cupcakes, and each one hides a whole mini pie in the middle. You need two 12-cup tins, a spoon, and about 45 minutes from start to frosting.
The method is simple. Batter first, pie second, more batter on top. The pie sinks in as the cake rises around it, so you get a soft fruit center instead of a plain crumb.
Frosting goes on last, after the cupcakes cool all the way. Warm cake makes frosting slide, and that is the one thing that trips people up here.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the oven and prep the tins
Heat the oven to the temperature on your cake mix box. Spray two 12-cup tins with nonstick spray or line them with paper liners.
2. Mix the batter
Prepare the cake mix following the package directions, including the eggs, oil and water it lists. Stir until the batter is smooth with only small lumps left.
3. Add the first batter layer
Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of batter into each cup. It should just cover the bottom, not fill the cup.
4. Set in the pies
Place one mini pie in each cup and press it down gently into the batter. Don't push it to the bottom.
5. Cover with more batter
Top each pie with another tablespoon of batter and spread it over the top so the pie is mostly covered.
6. Bake
Bake according to the package instructions. The cupcakes are done when the cake springs back when you touch the edge and a toothpick near the side comes out clean. A toothpick in the center will hit the pie filling, so test at the edge.
7. Cool completely
Take the tins out of the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes, then move them to a rack. Wait until they are fully cool before frosting.
8. Frost and serve
Spread or pipe frosting on each cooled cupcake. Add sprinkles if you like.
Pro Tips
How to Store Stuffed Cupcakes
Refrigerator
Keep frosted cupcakes in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring them to room temperature before eating for a softer crumb.
Freezer
Freeze unfrosted cupcakes in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then frost.
Reheating
A few seconds in the microwave softens a chilled cupcake. Don't reheat frosted ones, the frosting will melt.
Variations
- Swap the mini pies for sandwich cookies. Press one cookie into each cup instead of a pie and cover it with batter the same way.
- Use a fruit pie filling instead. Spoon a rounded teaspoon of canned pie filling into the center of the batter and cover it, though it will spread more than a whole pie does.
- Try a chocolate cake mix with cherry pies and a cream cheese frosting for a black forest style cupcake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use a different flavor of cake mix?
Yes. Any standard boxed cake mix works, and you follow whatever eggs, oil and water that box lists. Chocolate cake with cherry pies is a popular pairing.
Q: How do I know the cupcakes are done if the center has a pie in it?
Test near the edge, not the middle. A toothpick inserted at the side should come out clean, and the cake should spring back when you press it lightly. The center will hit pie filling, so it stays wet no matter how long you bake.
Q: Why did my cupcakes sink in the middle?
Usually too much batter on top of the pie, or the pie was pressed too far down. Keep the top layer to about a tablespoon and set the pie gently on the first layer of batter.
Q: Can I make these ahead of time?
Bake and cool them a day ahead, then store them unfrosted in a sealed container. Frost them the day you plan to serve them.
Stuffed Cupcakes With Mini Pies Inside
Boxed cake mix plus mini pies makes stuffed cupcakes with a surprise center. Twenty-four cupcakes, one bowl of batter, and frosting on top.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven and prep the tins — Heat the oven to the temperature on your cake mix box. Spray two 12-cup tins with nonstick spray or line them with paper liners.
- 2Mix the batter — Prepare the cake mix following the package directions, including the eggs, oil and water it lists. Stir until the batter is smooth with only small lumps left.
- 3Add the first batter layer — Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of batter into each cup. It should just cover the bottom, not fill the cup.
- 4Set in the pies — Place one mini pie in each cup and press it down gently into the batter. Don't push it to the bottom.
- 5Cover with more batter — Top each pie with another tablespoon of batter and spread it over the top so the pie is mostly covered.
- 6Bake — Bake according to the package instructions. The cupcakes are done when the cake springs back when you touch the edge and a toothpick near the side comes out clean. A toothpick in the center will hit the pie filling, so test at the edge.
- 7Cool completely — Take the tins out of the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes, then move them to a rack. Wait until they are fully cool before frosting.
- 8Frost and serve — Spread or pipe frosting on each cooled cupcake. Add sprinkles if you like.
Muffins & quick breads are my whole kitchen philosophy: one bowl, a whisk, and a batter that goes from counter to oven before the coffee cools. I write for cooks who want banana bread and blueberry muffins that work on a Tuesday, with ingredient swaps and bake times tested in an ordinary home oven. My angle is making quick breads forgiving, so a slightly overripe fruit or a forgotten timer still ends in something worth slicing.
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