CONFETTI FUNFETTI CUPCAKES (EASY SCRATCH RECIPE)

Soft, cloud-like, funfetti cupcakes are so easy to make and taste much better than the boxed stuff. Topped with a delicious vanilla meringue buttercream that complements the cupcakes perfectly, without being overly sweet! And sprinkled with colorful confetti to finish!

I am dying over here. I cannot stop thinking about these adorable, soft, cloud-like, cupcakes that are studded with colorful sprinkles and swirled with vanilla meringue buttercream frosting. And topped with more sprinkles! Somebody. Help. Me. This funfetti cupcake recipe is a keeper! It tastes much better than the cake-mix stuff and is just as easy to make!

I’ve always been a cake person. Ice cream ain’t got nothin’ on that stuff.

Don’t get me wrong – I quite frequently (maybe a little too frequently) indulge in both cake and ice cream.  But if given the choice, I will without a doubt, choose cake. And if they’re cupcakes, thats even better! Who can resist?

After chocolate, funfetti cupcakes are my favorite. And would you believe my husband had never tried them? Gasp. He just couldn’t get past the chocolate ones to give anything else a try! So ironically, he went to the gym, and I whipped up a batch of funfetti cupcakes.

Let’s talk sprinkles for a second (or an eternity, I don’t mind).

FUN FACT: I used to wish my parents had named me ‘sprinkles’ when I was younger. It’s probably for the best they didn’t. But my love obsession for sprinkles hasn’t faded. ♥ If you’re following me on Instagram, you probably saw the nail-polish that inspired these cupcakes.

These sprinkles are called rainbow jimmies. They’re a lot less finicky than the non-pareils. Those tend to bleed color very quickly when you mix them in a batter-y situation. You want to use jimmies so you don’t end up with a retro tye-died cupcake. (Side note: ironically, ‘rainbow jimmies’ sounds like a name for a baker in the 70’s).

 Let’s dive right into the recipe, shall we?

Flour: Our flour of choice for this recipe is cake-flour. Why? Because cake flour is going to give us that perfect tender texture. All-purpose flour is perfect for most recipes but when it comes to having a light, airy cupcake, like funfetti, the cake-flour is definitely the way to go.

Don’t have cake flour? Make it at home! Start with 1 cup + 5 tablespoons all purpose flour + 3 tablespoons corn starch. Sift the two together and you have 1 and 1/2 cup of cake flour.

This recipe calls for buttermilk. Don’t have buttermilk? Place 1 teaspoon of vinegar at the bottom of a 1/2 cup measuring cup. Add enough milk to make a 1/2 cup. Let sit 5 minutes.

Butter and the eggs: Both should be at room temperature. My butter is a little too liquidy in the picture. I live in Texas, it literally takes seconds for this to happen. Especially when pictured next to a window! Needless to say, I stuck the butter back in the fridge for a few minutes before using it!

2 things about this recipe: Don’t overmix the batter and don’t over bake the cupcakes.

Sift together the cake-flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time waiting until each egg has been incorporated completely. Add the vanilla extract. Turn the mixer off. Add 1/3 of the dry mixture, mix using a spatula. Add half the buttermilk and continue to alternate ending with the flour mixture. Add the sprinkles and fold gently.

Divide the batter into a cupcake baking tray lined with paper liners. Bake for 13 – 16 minutes. Mine were done in 14 minutes. But I would start checking as early as 12. Insert a toothpick to check. It should have a few crumbs on it without being wet. Remove from the oven. Let cool in tray for 5 mintues. Remove to a wire cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting. You want to wait at least an hour.

Now lets talk frosting. For the funfetti cupcake I wanted something that was sweet but not overpowering. I could seriously lick the entire bowl clean with just a mild sugar coma. No big deal.

2 things I want to mention: 1.) In my buttercream recipe, I use meringue powder. Meringue powder is dried egg whites mixed with cornstarch. It gives frosting that smooth texture and stability. Stability helps when piping the frosting. It also gives the frosting this iridescent sheen. Which is super cute. Meringue powder is pretty cheap at about $5 per container. I bought a large size and have never run out! You can purchase meringue powder here. It’s also sold at most craft stores and baking supply marts.

2.) Make sure to sift your confectioners sugar. Nobody wants lumpy frosting. Nobody.

To make the buttercream: Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the sifted confectioners sugar, meringue powder, vanilla extract, and salt all at once beat on low speed until smooth. Add the half and half and beat the frosting until light and creamy. I used a Wiltons 2M tip to pipe my frosting.

One bite into these funfetti cupcake /vanilla meringue buttercream duo will have you loving sprinkles all over again. These are one of my favorite types of cupcakes!

Sprinkles make the world a better place, 1 cupcake at a time.

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