Easy Father’s Day Cupcakes: Ideas for Every Kind of Dad

Looking for the sweetest way to celebrate Dad this Father’s Day? These Father’s Day cupcakes are fun, flavorful, and packed with love (and frosting). Whether your dad has a sweet tooth for chocolate, fruit, or nostalgic flavors, this list has something for every kind of cupcake-loving father. So grab your whisk it’s time to bake up something special!

Maple Bacon Cupcakes

A sweet-and-savory combo with maple buttercream and crispy bacon topping. It’s breakfast meets dessert definitely a dad-approved flavor bomb.

Simple Ingredients

Just a few pantry staples and fridge favorites make these cupcakes come to life:

• Vanilla cupcake mix: A time-saving base that’s moist and versatile.
• Pure maple syrup: Adds rich, natural sweetness and classic maple flavor.
• Brown sugar: Brings a hint of molasses that deepens the maple taste.
• Maple buttercream frosting: Sweet, creamy, and perfectly maple-forward.
• Crispy cooked bacon: Adds crunch and smoky saltiness that balances the sweet.

Get the full recipe for my maple bacon cupcakes right here on OvenSpot.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

These chocolate cupcakes are packed with crushed Oreos and topped with a creamy cookies-and-cream frosting. A nostalgic treat for dads who love dunking cookies in milk!

Simple Ingredients

Just a few pantry staples and your favorite sandwich cookies come together for a memorable dessert!

• Chocolate Cupcake Mix: A quick and foolproof base for moist chocolate cupcakes.
• Crushed Oreos: Adds crunch and that signature cookies-and-cream flavor inside and on top.
• Vanilla Frosting: Creamy and sweet, perfect for folding in cookie bits.
• Mini Oreos: The cutest finishing touch for each cupcake!

Get the full recipe for these cookies and cream cupcakes right here on OvenSpot.

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Inspired by the classic soda fountain drink! These cupcakes are light and fluffy with a hint of root beer, topped with vanilla frosting and a cherry on top. Perfect for all ages.

Ingredients

• 1 cup root beer
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup vanilla frosting
• 12 maraschino cherries

Make This Cupcake

1. Cream together butter and sugar.
2. Mix in root beer, flour, and baking soda to create the batter.
3. Bake cupcakes and let cool.
4. Frost with vanilla frosting.
5. Add a cherry on top.

Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

If your dad has a soft spot for peanut butter and chocolate, these cupcakes are guaranteed to hit the spot. They hide a mini peanut butter cup inside each cake and are crowned with a rich, creamy peanut butter frosting. It’s a flavor-packed surprise that brings candy shop magic to every bite.

Simple Ingredients

Here’s all you need for these magical cupcakes:

• Chocolate Cupcake Mix: Store-bought boxed mix makes this super simple and consistently delicious.
• Mini Peanut Butter Cups: These get tucked inside the batter and melt into the perfect chocolate-peanut butter bite.
• Peanut Butter Frosting: Creamy, rich, and easy to pipe or spread.

Get the full recipe for these peanut butter cup cupcakes right here on OvenSpot.

S’mores Cupcakes

Campfire memories in every bite! Graham cracker crust, chocolate cake, gooey marshmallow filling, and toasted marshmallow frosting.

Simple Ingredients

• Graham cracker crumbs: The base layer adds a buttery crunch and nostalgic flavor.
• Butter: Melted and mixed with the crumbs, it helps form a firm and tasty crust.
• Chocolate cupcake mix: Speeds things up while still delivering that rich cocoa punch.
• Marshmallow fluff: This gooey center mimics the melted marshmallows of classic s’mores.
• Meringue frosting: Light, fluffy, and toasted to golden perfection for a fire-kissed finish.

Get the full recipe for my S’mores cupcakes right here on OvenSpot.

Caramel Pretzel Crunch Cupcakes

Crunchy, salty, and sweet this cupcake has it all. Each bite delivers the irresistible contrast of soft vanilla cake, rich caramel frosting, and the satisfying crunch of pretzel bits. It’s the perfect cupcake for the dad who loves bold textures and flavors.

Ingredients

• 1 box vanilla cupcake mix
• 1/2 cup crushed pretzels
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce
• 1 cup caramel buttercream
• Whole mini pretzels for topping

Make This Cupcake

1. Stir crushed pretzels into batter.
2. Bake and let cool.
3. Frost with caramel buttercream.
4. Drizzle with caramel sauce and top with pretzel.

Banana Split Cupcakes

Bring the fun of an old-fashioned ice cream parlor to cupcake form! These banana split cupcakes are filled with jam and topped like a sundae whipped cream frosting, chocolate drizzle, crushed nuts, and a cherry. It’s fruity, festive, and full of personality.

Ingredients

• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup jam
• 1 cup whipped cream frosting
• Chocolate syrup, crushed nuts, maraschino cherries

Make This Cupcake

1. Make banana cupcake batter.
2. Bake and cool.
3. Core and fill with jam.
4. Frost with whipped topping.
5. Add chocolate drizzle, nuts, and cherry.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

These cupcakes are a cookie lover’s dream. A soft vanilla cupcake surrounds a hidden ball of edible cookie dough, and the brown sugar buttercream brings all the classic cookie flavor to the top. Two treats in one, and totally irresistible.

Ingredients

• 1 box vanilla or chocolate (for a rich cake) cupcake mix
• 12 small scoops edible cookie dough
• 1 cup brown sugar frosting
• Mini chocolate chips

Make This Cupcake

1. Place edible dough in liners.
2. Cover with batter and bake.
3. Cool, frost, and sprinkle with mini chips.

Nutella Swirl Cupcakes

If Dad can’t get enough of chocolate hazelnut spread, these cupcakes are for him. Each one features a swirl of Nutella baked right in and a generous slather of Nutella frosting. They’re rich, indulgent, and satisfyingly nutty.

Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate cupcake mix
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1 cup buttercream frosting
• Crushed hazelnuts (optional)

Make This Cupcake

1. Swirl Nutella into batter.
2. Bake and cool.
3. Frost with Nutella buttercream and sprinkle with nuts.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

This cupcake has banana bread charm with a chocolaty twist. Moist, flavorful, and lightly sweet, it’s a comfort-food classic that’s made extra special with a dollop of whipped chocolate frosting.

Ingredients

• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup whipped chocolate frosting

Make This Cupcake

1. Mix bananas, sugar, eggs, and chips.
2. Bake and cool.
3. Top with whipped frosting.

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes

Bright and zesty with bursts of fresh blueberry in every bite, these cupcakes are like sunshine in dessert form. The tangy cream cheese frosting brings everything together for a refreshing and flavorful treat.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup cream cheese frosting

Make This Cupcake

1. Mix lemon zest into batter.
2. Fold in blueberries.
3. Bake, cool, and frost.

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

These cupcakes are light, fruity, and perfect for warm weather celebrations. Fresh strawberries inside and whipped cream on top make these a refreshing twist on classic shortcake.

Ingredients

• 1 box vanilla cake mix
• 1 cup chopped strawberries
• 1 cup whipped cream frosting
• Sliced strawberries for topping

Make This Cupcake

1. Bake vanilla cupcakes.
2. Core and fill with strawberries.
3. Frost and garnish with a slice.

PB & J Cupcakes

Peanut butter and jelly what’s more classic? These cupcakes offer a playful, nostalgic flavor combo in dessert form that feels both fun and familiar.

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter cupcake batter
• 1/2 cup strawberry or grape jam
• 1 cup peanut butter frosting

Make This Cupcake

1. Bake cupcakes.
2. Fill with jam.
3. Frost with peanut butter frosting.

Mocha Fudge Cupcakes

These rich and bold cupcakes combine the flavors of chocolate and coffee, delivering a mocha punch that’s sure to please coffee-loving dads.

Simple Ingredients

Just a few delicious items go into these cupcakes, but each one makes a big impact.

• Chocolate Cupcake Mix: A great shortcut that saves time and still delivers rich, moist cupcakes.
• Instant Espresso Powder: Adds depth and that true coffee-shop flavor.
• Brewed Coffee: Enhances the chocolate and brings the mocha flavor to life.
• Chocolate Fudge Frosting: Creamy, rich, and indulgent perfect for topping.
• Chocolate Shavings or Coffee Beans: The finishing touch that adds both beauty and flavor.

Get the full recipe for these mocha fudge cupcakes right here on OvenSpot.

Apple Pie Cupcakes

These cozy cupcakes are filled with cinnamon apple pie filling and topped with a swirl of spiced buttercream. A handheld version of his favorite dessert!

Ingredients

• 1 box spice cupcake mix
• 1 cup apple pie filling (chopped)
• 1 cup cinnamon buttercream frosting
• Crumbled graham crackers or pie crust for topping

Make This Cupcake

1. Bake spice cupcakes and let them cool.
2. Core the center and fill with apple pie filling.
3. Frost with cinnamon buttercream.
4. Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs or pie crust crumbles.

These Father’s Day cupcakes aren’t just desserts they’re mini celebrations of everything we love about Dad. Whether you’re baking for a BBQ, brunch, or just to make him smile, these sweet treats are sure to be a hit. Pick one or make a sampler tray to share the love (and frosting). Happy Father’s Day!

One-Pot Cooking Rocks!