Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Cream together the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy—this takes about 2 minutes with a mixer. You'll see the mixture get pale and fluffy, which means you're incorporating air into the batter. This step matters because it helps your Easter nest cupcakes rise perfectly.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla powder and stir until combined. Pour in half the milk, then add your flour mixture (flour, baking powder, and salt whisked together). Stir gently, then add the rest of the milk and mix until just combined—don't overmix or you'll get tough cupcakes.

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 paper liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Tap the muffin tin on the counter a couple times to release air bubbles. Bake for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or just barely moist.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. They need to cool completely before you add the frosting—this prevents everything from melting together. I learned this the hard way by trying to frost warm cupcakes once (total mess).

While cupcakes cool, prepare your nest topping by crushing the shredded wheat cereal into bite-sized pieces. Don't make them too fine—you want texture that looks like actual twigs. Mix the crushed cereal with 2 tablespoons melted butter and 2 tablespoons honey in a small bowl until everything's coated and clumpy.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cereal mixture onto the top of each cooled cupcake, pressing gently so it sticks. The honey and butter act like glue here, so don't skip that step. Work quickly before the mixture hardens, and your Easter nest cupcakes will look professionally decorated.

Press 3-4 mini chocolate eggs into each nest and let everything set for 10 minutes. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. They're best enjoyed the same day you make them, but honestly they're still delicious on day two.