Fun by name, fun by design! These Funfetti Cupcakes are the perfect dessert for spring, boasting so many bright colors. And guess what? They taste as good as they look.
These are my No. 1 chocolate-less dessert for Easter. I make them every year. I make loads. I sometimes give a batch to each of the kids to take with them to school and share with their classmates ahead of the long weekend. I’ll save a batch or two for the family when they come over for Easter dinner. I’ll even eat a few (or 10) myself. I find they’re a nice break from the chocolate overload that the Easter bunny casts upon us (wait, did I just say that???).
Part of the fun is in decorating them, though I’m a bit of a traditionalist and typically stick to the pastels that are associated with this time of year. The other part of the fun is eating them. That’s because the dough of these cupcakes is fluffy and soft and sweet like vanilla. It will melt in your mouth, leaving your taste buds awash in tasty wonderment. (Sorry, cupcakes bring out the poet in me.) Then there’s the icing. It, too, is flavored with vanilla. And before you ask, “Isn’t that too much vanilla?” you should ask yourself, “Is there even such a thing as too much vanilla?” Yeah, I didn’t think so.
Another question you may ask yourself: “Can I make these any time of year?” Well, yes, of course, you can. But these are funfetti cupcakes. They look and taste like spring, one of the most fun times of the year, when bunnies hide eggs and chocolate is in every recipe.
How do I make my cupcakes perfectly fluffy and moist?
Let’s start at the beginning. Ensure all your ingredients are fresh. I know you may be tempted to use, say, baking powder that has languished in the fridge longer than it should. You probably think the other ingredients will cover up its staleness. But don’t do it. Good cupcakes need good ingredients. They also need the right proportion of ingredients, so measure carefully. The quality of your batter depends on it. Next, let the ingredients come to room temperature. They will mix better and make for a more consistent batter. Speaking of the batter, don’t overmix it. Overmixing will remove the air bubbles that are an integral part of fluffy cupcakes. For this reason, set your hand blender on LOW and don’t move it!
Ingredients
The Batter:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles
The Frosting:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- extra rainbow sprinkles
How to Make Funfetti Cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners to prevent sticking.
Step 2: Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add diced butter and mix on low until it forms coarse crumbs.
Step 3: Add and incorporate eggs one by one in the mix, scraping bowl sides as needed. Then mix in milk and vanilla until batter is smooth.
Step 4: Fold in the rainbow sprinkles with a spatula, being careful not to overmix.
Step 5: Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds with batter and bake at preheated oven for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Step 6: After baking, let cupcakes cool in the pan for some minutes, then move to a wire rack to fully cool.
Step 7: Prepare the frosting by creaming 3/4 cup butter while the cupcakes cool. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, beating until fluffy. Once cooled, frost cupcakes with the funfetti and add extra sprinkles.
FAQs & Tips
Let them cool completely then put them in an airtight container or under a cake stand. They can stay out at room temperature for up to three days. If you want them around longer, I suggest putting them in the fridge where they should last for up to five days. You can also freeze them for up to three months, though you should hold off icing them until after the thawing process.
In a word, convenience. Pre-made mixes will have already measured out the flour, sugar, salt, leavening agents (baking soda/powder), stabilizer (modified cornstarch, xanthan gum, or guar gum), and whichever flavoring it identifies on the box. By doing it yourself, you can control the amount of each and make your cupcakes how you like them.
How do they look? Cupcakes that are ready to be pulled from the oven should have a golden hue to their tops. Also, give them a poke (be gentle). If they bounce back, that’s a good sign they’re done. Next is the toothpick test. Stick one into a muffin. If it comes out clean and not damp, it’s good. And if you want to take the guessing out of it, use a baking thermometer. They should be about 200°F in the deepest part.
It lets them firm up so that they don’t fall apart when you take them out of their muffin trays. They also shrink slightly when cooling, so they pull away from the sides of the tin and make it easier for you to remove them. Last, it lets the residual heat finish them off, enhancing their flavor and texture.
You can, but I don’t recommend it. Essence is synthetic and, with some brands, doesn’t actually contain any real vanilla. It’s also weaker than extract, so if you were to use it, you would need to increase the amount.
Variations Worth Trying
- Chocolate Cupcakes: I know I complained about chocolate overload earlier but if you firmly believe there’s no such thing, replace 1/2 cup of the flour with cocoa powder.
- Lemon Cupcakes: Spring means “fresh”, and which food is fresher than lemon! Add a tablespoon of lemon zest to the batter and use lemon extract instead of vanilla.
- Almond Cupcakes: If you’re not partial to the vanilla extract, use almond extract instead. You could also add slivers of almond on top, though the beige may not jive with the pastel.
Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes
Ingredients
The Batter:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles
The Frosting:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Extra rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners to prevent sticking.
- Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add diced butter and mix on low until it forms coarse crumbs.
- Add and incorporate eggs one by one in the mix, scraping bowl sides as needed. Then mix in milk and vanilla until batter is smooth.
- Fold in the rainbow sprinkles with a spatula, being careful not to overmix.
- Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds with batter and bake at preheated oven for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- After baking, let cupcakes cool in the pan for some minutes, then move to a wire rack to fully cool.
- Prepare the frosting by creaming 3/4 cup butter while the cupcakes cool. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, beating until fluffy. Once cooled, frost cupcakes with the funfetti and add extra sprinkles.
