Want to make the best Mars Bar cupcakes ever? This simple, step-by-step picture guide will walk you through making your own Mars Bar cupcakes to share with friends and family — or keep for yourself!
My brother has always loved Mars Bars, so for his birthday I turned his favourite chocolate bar into cupcakes. These Mars Bar cupcakes really capture the flavours of the bar and are utterly delicious.
They’re easy to make and ideal for Mars Bar lovers. Read through the whole recipe before you start so you’re prepared — it helps avoid surprises mid-recipe.
Top Tips for Mars Bar Cupcakes
Here are practical tips to help your cupcakes turn out perfectly:
- Bring refrigerated ingredients to room temperature. Batters blend much better when ingredients are the same temperature.
- Use foil cupcake cases rather than paper ones — butter can seep through paper but not foil.
- Cool the cakes completely before decorating; warm cakes will cause the frosting to melt.
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder, not hot chocolate powder, to control the sweetness and texture.
- Store cupcakes in a metal container if possible; sugar can “sweat” in plastic containers.
- Do not refrigerate the cupcakes — the fridge dries them out quickly.
Mars Bar Cupcakes – Step by Step Picture Recipe
(Printer-friendly recipe card at the end of this post)
This recipe includes both UK metric and US cup measurements.
Ingredients and equipment
Makes approximately 16–20 cupcakes.
Mars Bar cupcake ingredients
- 1 tbsp milk
- 3 Mars Bars (120g / 4 oz), chopped
- 200g (3/4 + 1/8 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 200g (1 cup) golden caster sugar
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 200g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
- 25g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
Chocolate buttercream ingredients
- 250g (2 cups) icing sugar
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 190g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1–2 Mars Bars (80g / 3 oz), chopped for decoration
Essential equipment
- 12-hole cupcake tin (or bake in batches)
- 16 foil cupcake cases
- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Electric stand mixer or hand whisk and large bowl
- Sieve
- Piping bag and nozzle
If you have two tins, great — otherwise bake in two batches.
Mars Bar cupcake instructions
Preheat the oven to 190°C / Fan 170°C / 356°F and line a cupcake tin with foil cases.
Place the milk and chopped Mars Bars in a heavy-based saucepan and melt gently over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer or large bowl with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy.
Beat the eggs in one at a time until incorporated. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, then fold gently until the batter is just combined. Fold in the melted Mars Bar mixture until you have a smooth, thick batter.
Spoon the batter evenly into the cases, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18–20 minutes. Check doneness with a skewer — it should come out clean when the cakes are ready. Leave the cupcakes in the tin for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
Chocolate buttercream instructions
Sieve the icing sugar and cocoa powder together into a bowl and set aside.
Cream the butter until soft in a stand mixer or with an electric hand whisk. Add the icing sugar and cocoa powder in three additions, beating well after each. Add 1 tablespoon of milk to loosen the mixture until it reaches a soft but pipeable consistency.
Fill a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle and pipe swirls of buttercream onto each cooled cupcake. Top with chopped Mars Bar pieces if desired — and enjoy one as a reward for your baking!
These Mars Bar cupcakes are moist and packed with Mars Bar flavour. They’re a great base for adapting other chocolate bars into cupcakes — think Galaxy, Cadbury Flake, Toblerone or Terry’s Chocolate Orange. The possibilities are endless.
Enjoy baking and sharing these delicious cupcakes. Miss KitchenMason x
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Easy Mars Bar Cupcakes Recipe
16 Cupcakes
30 minutes
20 minutes
50 minutes
Make the best Mars Bar cupcakes with this straightforward, step-by-step recipe.
Ingredients
For The Cakes
- 1 tbsp Milk
- 3 x Mars Bars (120g or 4 oz), chopped
- 200g (3/4 + 1/8 Cup) Unsalted Butter, Room Temp
- 200g (1 Cup) Golden Caster Sugar
- 4 Eggs, Room Temp
- 200g (1 + 1/2 Cups) Self Raising Flour
- 25g (1/4 Cup) Cocoa Powder
For the Frosting
- 250g (2 Cups) Icing Sugar
- 3 tbsp Cocoa Powder
- 190g (3/4 Cup) Unsalted Butter, Room Temp
- 1 tbsp Milk
- 1-2 Mars Bars (80g or 3 oz), Chopped to Decorate
Essential Equipment
- 12 Hole Cupcake Tin *
- 16 Foil Cupcake Cases
- Saucepan
- Wooden Spoon
- Electric Stand Mixer or Large Bowl and Electric Hand Whisk
- Sieve
- Piping Bag
- Nozzle
Instructions
To Make the Cakes
- Line the cupcake tin with foil cases and preheat the oven to 190°C / Fan 170°C / 356ºF. Put the milk and Mars Bars in a small saucepan and melt gently over low heat, stirring often.
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a stand mixer or with an electric hand whisk until light.
- Beat the eggs in one at a time, then sift the flour and cocoa powder and fold until there are no streaks. Fold in the melted Mars Bar until the batter is smooth and thick. Fill each case two-thirds full and bake for 18–20 minutes. Test with a skewer — it should come out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
To Make the Frosting
- Beat the butter until soft, then sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Start beating slowly to incorporate, then increase the speed and beat until light and smooth. Add the milk to loosen the mixture to a soft, pipeable consistency.
To Decorate
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a nozzle, pipe swirls onto each cupcake, and top with chopped Mars Bar pieces.
Notes
*If you have two tins, great — otherwise bake in two batches.
If you prefer a more detailed picture recipe, consult the main post where you’ll find extra FAQs and tips. This recipe uses both UK metric and US cup measurements.
Storage
Store cupcakes in an airtight container (metal preferred) at room temperature and consume within 4–5 days.
Tips
- Bring refrigerated items to room temperature before mixing.
- Use foil cases to prevent butter seepage.
- Ensure cakes are completely cool before piping frosting.
- Use cocoa powder, not sweet hot chocolate mix.
- Store in metal containers to avoid condensation.
- Avoid refrigeration to keep cakes moist.
Recommended Products
-
Primary Rainbow Colours Baking Cases, Standard, pack of 72
-
Green and Blacks Organic Fairtrade Cocoa Powder, 125g
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 944Total Fat: 51gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 652mgCarbohydrates: 120gFiber: 4gSugar: 90gProtein: 9g
Nutritional information is a general guideline and not a substitute for professional advice. Check labels for allergens.
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