Preheat and prep: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Combine wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Make the batter: Pour wet into dry and whisk gently just until smooth. Don’t overmix. The batter should be thick but pourable.

Fill and bake: Divide batter among liners, about 2/3 full. Bake 18–20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.

Make the frosting: Beat 1 cup softened butter until creamy. Add 3 cups powdered sugar, a pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat on low, then increase speed. Add 1–3 tablespoons cream to reach a fluffy, spreadable consistency.

Tint the frosting: Add yellow gel food coloring a little at a time until you get a bright chick-yellow. Gel gives stronger color without thinning the frosting.

Prep coconut “fluff”: Place coconut in a shallow bowl. For brighter yellow “feathers,” toss some coconut with a drop of yellow coloring and let dry briefly.

Frost and dip: Spread a generous dome of frosting on each cupcake. Gently press the top into the coconut to coat. This creates the chick’s fluffy body.

Add the face: Press two mini chocolate chips point-side down for eyes. Add a small orange candy triangle for the beak in the center. If using white sprinkles for eyes, dot pupils with an edible marker.

Feet and details: Add two small orange candy pieces at the base for feet. You can also pipe tiny wings with extra frosting on the sides, then dab them in coconut.

Set and serve: Let cupcakes rest 15–20 minutes so the decorations set slightly. Arrange on a platter and watch them disappear.