“My friends need to be punished.” With those six words, Lilo & Stitch won me over. Was this child—in a Disney movie, no less—making voodoo dolls out of spoons and sticking them in pickle brine?

Sure, sure. You shouldn’t seek revenge, but I liked that this kid was feisty. The movie showed the messy reality of a teen raising a kid—a particularly plucky, somewhat mischievous kid—and how early on we struggle to fit in and find a sense of belonging. And how you never know what trauma someone’s working through…all wrapped in a fun, funny cartoon about an alien who crashed on Earth and impersonates a dog to avoid capture by the alien who created him (and is sent to destroy him).

So, when the live action movie hit theaters, we decided to liven up a rainy afternoon by whipping up a batch of Stitch-inspired cupcakes. I didn’t want to fuss with piping tips, fondant or fancy ingredients—I wanted something my daughter could make with me, using mostly things you could find in your pantry or at a corner store.

This easy cupcake decorating DIY is so simple, you could turn it into a craft for a Lilo & Stitch-themed birthday party, or just a family activity before catching the movie in theaters.

What You Should Know Before Making These Cupcakes

Brown Peanut M&M’s are few and far between, so you may need a few large bags—or buy them at a candy store or online, by the color—to get 24. You could also use black jelly beans…but who likes black jelly beans?!

Whatever you do, if you make ’em, can you send me a pic? DM it to me at @lifebetweenweekends.

How to Make Stitch-Inspired Cupcakes, Step by Step

‘Lilo & Stitch’-Inspired Cupcakes

As fans of 'Lilo & Stitch,' my kids and I came up with this easy way to decorate cupcakes to look like the movie's famous lil' alien.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

For the Frosting

• 1 cup salted butter, room temperature
• 4 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tube blue gel food coloring

For Decorating the Cupcakes

• 12 cupcakes, baked (any flavor; I made banana)
• 1 package Oreo Thins (or regular Oreos)
• 24 brown peanut M&Ms
• 12 blue peanut M&Ms
• 1 tube black gel decorator's icing (or black frosting)

Equipment

• 1 hand mixer or stand mixer
• 2 mixing bowls (for frosting)
• 1 package resealable plastic bags (sandwich size)

Method

 

1. Make the Frosting: In a large bowl (using a hand mixer) or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter, 4 cups of the confectioner's sugar, milk and vanilla. Beat on low, very slowly, gradually increasing the speed as it combines so the sugar doesn't turn into a dust cloud. Beat until light and fluffy, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Check the frosting: Is it about as thick as peanut butter or jam? Great. If it's too runny, add the remaining confectioner's sugar 2 tablespoons at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. (If it's too thick, you can add a little milk, 2 tablespoons at a time.)
3. Put 2/3 of the frosting in one bowl, and 1/3 in a second bowl. Add 2 drops of blue food coloring to each bowl. Stir to combine, and you should have one light blue frosting (large bowl) and one darker blue (small bowl). You may want to add a drop or two to the smaller bowl to darken the color, or even add half a drop of black to make it an inkier, grayish-blue.
4. Decorate the Cupcakes: Place a thin layer of light blue frosting to cover the cupcake. Cut the Oreo Thins in half, so they form two semicircles. Gently place them on top of the cupcake, forming the alien's ears. Cover the Oreo Thins and the rest of the cupcake with a little more light blue frosting.
5. Place the darker blue frosting in resealable plastic bags (like Ziploc) and snip off one corner. Use that to easily outline the alien's ears and top half of his face, leaving two large oval shapes for the eyes. Place a Peanut M&M slightly diagonal in each eye hole. Use black frosting to form a thin smirk.

Note: We are not affiliated with Disney. We’re just fans, making a fun recipe to share with other fans.