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Funfetti Cupcakes

Moist and fluffy funfetti cupcakes with just the right amount of sprinkles baked inside, paired with vanilla buttercream and perfect for any celebration.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 15 cupcakes

Ingredients

Funfetti Cake (from my book, Anyone Can Cake)

  • 1 1/3 Cups (140g) sifted cake flour* DIY recipe in notes
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 Cups (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg + 1 large egg white, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 Cup (60g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 1/2 Cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 2 Tbsp (30g) rainbow sprinkles**, coated in 2 tsp cake flour

Vanilla Buttercream

  • 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 1/2 Cups (420g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
  • pinch of salt, or to taste

Optional Topping

  • 1/4 Cup rainbow sprinkles

Instructions

Make the Funfetti Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F/177ºC. Prepare a muffin pan by lining with cupcake tins. 
  • Add the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. 
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer (a handheld mixer works fine too!), cream the butter on high for 2 minutes. Add in the sugar and continue to beat on medium-high until light and fluffy (another 2 minutes), scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the whole egg, then add the egg white and mix until combined. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and sour cream. Mix for one minute on high speed, scraping down the bowl and paddle once more. 
  • Turn the mixer off and add in the dry ingredients all at once. Mix on low speed until just combined, then slowly pour in the milk while continuing to mix on low until incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs to make sure there are no lumps. The batter will be slightly thick.
  • Gently fold the flour-coated rainbow sprinkles into the cake batter by hand, then divide evenly between the prepared cupcake tins (no more than 2/3 full) and bake for 14-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes onto a wire rack to cool completely before applying any frosting.

Make the Vanilla Buttercream

  • With a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on high until creamy and light (almost white) in color, about 7 minutes.
  • Turn the mixer to low speed and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each addition and making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
  • Add the vanilla, milk, and salt and mix on low for another minute until fully incorporated and smooth.

Assembly

  • Once the funfetti cupcakes are completely cooled, frost with vanilla buttercream. To create the look pictured, pipe a swirl of vanilla buttercream using Wilton Tip 1M, then top with rainbow sprinkles.

Notes

*DIY Cake Flour Recipe: To make your own cake flour, spoon and level one cup of all-purpose flour and remove 2 Tbsp. Add 2 Tbsp of cornstarch. Repeat per the amount of cake flour you need, then sift the flour and cornstarch mixture 4 times (don’t skip that step!). After sifting, spoon and level to re-measure the amount of cake flour you need. 
**Rainbow Sprinkles: the best kind of sprinkles to use in this cake and buttercream are the rod-shaped kind that don't bleed color. Look for "carnauba wax" in the ingredients list. This is a coating agent that will keep the sprinkles from bleeding color into your batter. My favorite rainbow sprinkles to use are these ones by Unpretentious Baker or Sprinkle Pop's Ultimate Unicorn Rainbow Jimmies. 
Make Ahead Tips:
  1. The funfetti cupcakes can be baked, cooled, placed back in the cupcake pan and covered with plastic wrap, and left out at room temperature up to one  day ahead of decorating. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month before thawing and frosting.
  2. The frosted cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.