Funfetti Cupcakes

These funfetti cupcakes are the ultimate treat for birthdays and celebrations. Light and fluffy, filled with sprinkles and piled high with frosting – this recipe is way better than any boxed mix! 

Funfetti cupcakes should be moist and fluffy with a rich buttery taste and soft crumb. They need lots of creamy frosting. And of course, SPRINKLES 🙂 🙂 ! After tinkering with my recipe, these funfetti cupcakes meet all the requirements.

While some people might reserve funfetti for children’s birthday parties – I don’t like to stereotype my treats. So I made these funfetti cupcakes on a very regular Monday night after work. And now I think funfetti should now be the official dessert of Mondays.

To be completely honest, I was never really much of a funfetti person until recently. (Jaw dropping, I know). But last year my favourite bakery was selling special funfetti cupcakes for their anniversary – and since then I’ve had a new favourite.

Funfetti Cupcake Recipe

Ok – let’s talk cupcake specifics. You can jump down to the recipe by clicking  HERE  – but I’m also including a little method to my madness / explanation of how and why these cupcakes are so delicious:

1. This recipe uses a combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour to keep the cupcakes light and fluffy without being too delicate. If you don’t have cake flour on hand, you can replace the 1 cup of cake flour with an additional ¾ cup all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. So, in total you’ll have 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour and plus the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
2. I recommend using whole milk in your cupcakes, which will give a richer taste than you’ll get with skim or 1%. I haven’t tried these with soy milk or almond milk, so I’m not sure if the taste will be the same.
3. When you add your sprinkles to the cupcake batter, turn off your electric mixer! Fold the sprinkles into the batter very gently so that the color doesn’t run all through your batter (don’t let your sprinkles cry sad sprinkle tears). Nonpareils (the little round ball sprinkles) will bleed lots – so I don’t  recommend using them in your cupcakes. I used jimmies (the skinny cylinder ones) instead, which are much more forgiving.
4. For the creamiest buttercream frosting, I really recommend using heavy cream instead of milk. This way your frosting will be thick and very piping bag friendly.

Ok I realize I included lots of notes, but I just get a little excited when it comes to these funfetti cupcakes! They’re the perfect funfetti cupcakes from scratch, and will remind you have childhood in the absolute best possible way.

Print Recipe

Funfetti Cupcakes

These funfetti cupcakes are the ultimate dessert for birthdays and celebrations. Light and fluffy, filled with sprinkles and piled high with icing - they're way better than any boxed mix! 

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 14 cupcakes

Calories: 395kcal

Author: Fiona Dowling

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

• 1 cup cake flour , or ¾ cup all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt , to taste
• ½ cup unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
• 2 large eggs , room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ cup whole milk , room temperature
• 3 tablespoons rainbow jimmie sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream

• ¾ cup butter , softened to room temperature
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar , sifted
• 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon salt , to taste
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• sprinkles

Instructions

Funfetti Cupcakes

• Preheat your oven to 350F degrees and line your cupcake pan with paper liners. 
• In a medium bowl whisk together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a separate large bowl beat the butter and sugar on medium speed f until light and fluffy. 
• Add in your eggs, vanilla & almond extract and continue beating until combined. 
• Slowly add in about ⅓ of your flour mixture followed by about ⅓ of your milk. Continue until all of your flour mixture and milk have been added.
• After just combined, turn off your mixture. Carefully fold in your sprinkles with a rubber spatula.
• Using a ¼ cup measuring cup or ice cream scoop, fill your cupcake lines about ½ to ⅔ full - this should make about 14 cupcakes.
• Bake for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. 

Frosting

• In a large bowl beat your butter on high for about 4 minutes until it's light and fluffy with no lumps.  
• Turn down the speed to low. Add in the vanilla and salt. Then slowly beat in the powdered sugar. 
• Increase the speed to medium-high and add the cream 1 tablespoon at a time until you've reached your desired consistency.
• Frost cooled cupcakes with a piping bag (I used a 1M tip), or a flat knife. Then decorate with sprinkles and devour.

Notes

*You can store cupcakes in an air-tight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or in the fridge (although I don't think they'll last that long).

**Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen and thawed in the fridge overnight. 

Nutrition

Calories: 395kcal