These funfetti cupcakes are a perfect way to brighten anyone’s day. Fluffy, moist, and packed with colorful sprinkles, they’re topped with creamy vanilla buttercream frosting and are the perfect birthday cupcake (or for any celebration!).
Funfetti cupcakes, also called confetti cupcakes, are the perfect celebratory treat. The moist, tender cake full of colorful sprinkles topped with fluffy frosting just screams happiness and joy.
I first started working on the perfect funetti cupcake recipe several years ago, but it wasn’t until today that I decided to post the recipe. I wanted to make sure I perfected the cake so it was perfectly moist, tender, and held it’s shape well once topped with frosting.
These are the ultimate birthday cupcakes, perfect for both kids and adults!
How to make funfetti cupcakes
This recipe follows my basic vanilla cupcake recipe, with a few modifications explained below to make them extra white and fluffy. If you have a birthday coming up or need some added cheer, these confetti cupcakes are just for you.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the dry ingredients and set them aside for later.
- Cream butter and sugar together. In a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This will take at least 3 minutes — it’s important you don’t skip this step because it’s crucial for light and fluffy cupcakes.
- Add in the egg whites, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Alternate mixing in the dry and wet ingredients. Turn the mixer to low and add in half of the dry ingredients, beating until just combined. Beat in the milk and sour cream, followed by the other half of the dry ingredients.
- Add the sprinkles. The last step is to stir in the sprinkles, but be careful not to overmix the batter. I prefer using a rubber spatula to do this gently, because the less you mix, the lighter your cupcakes will be.
- Bake. Divide the batter into your cupcake liners, filling each cup about ¾ of the way full. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350°F/180°C, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting and topping with more sprinkles.
Frosting funfetti cupcakes
You can use any frosting you’d like for these easy funfetti cupcakes. I prefer to use a white frosting so when you sprinkle on the rainbow sprinkles, you really see the colors. But if you have a chocolate craving, by all means use chocolate frosting (I love this chocolate frosting with these cupcakes).
My favorite frostings for these cupcakes are:
- Vanilla buttercream frosting: Decadent and classic.
- Swiss meringue buttercream: Light and fluffy.
- Cream cheese frosting: Rich and creamy.
Whichever frosting you choose, I recommend topping the cupcakes using a piping bag and a piping tip I personally prefer this piping tip but any start tip with do!
Tip: Make sure the funfetti cupcakes are cool before piping on the frosting. You can store extra frosting in the fridge, bringing to room temperature before piping onto the extra cupcakes.
Funfetti cupcake ingredients
There are a few secret ingredients that make these the best funfetti cupcakes. When turning my funfetti cake into cupcakes, I wanted a lighter and whiter cake that didn’t need to hold up as a layer cake.
- Egg whites – I prefer to use egg whites instead of eggs to give the cupcakes an extra light texture and keep the color white. You can use 2 eggs instead, but note that the egg yolk will give the cake a yellow tint.
- Whole milk – Whole milk has the most amount of fat of all the milks, and lends amazing texture and richness to these cupcakes.
- Sour cream/heavy cream – In addition to whole milk, I like to add extra moisture with sour cream or heavy cream. This is one of my favorite secrets to super moist cupcakes! You can also replace this with whole milk.
- Sprinkles – I use these sprinkles and love them for baking. Sprinkles typically bleed a bit into cake batters, but these don’t.
Can I freeze funfetti cupcakes?
The cupcakes themselves can stay fresh in the freezer for up to the 2 months, just make sure to wrap them up well or place them in a freezer safe container. However, I do recommend making the frosting fresh when you’re ready to use it.
More cupcake recipes
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes: Full of flavor and topped with satiny-smooth cream chese frosting.
- Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes: For true chocoholics only.
- Red Velvet Cupcakes: They taste just as gorgeous as they look.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes: Like a Reese’s cup in cupcake form.
- Lemon Cupcakes: Bursting with fresh lemon flavor, these are perfect when you want a taste of spring!
Funfetti Cupcakes
These moist, tender, fluffy cupcakes are baked with colorful sprinkles and topped with creamy frosting for the perfect celebratory cupcakes!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (210g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick/115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream or heavy cream (or whole milk for a total of 1 cup)
- ⅓ cup sprinkles (or up to ½ cup), plus more for decoration
- Buttercream Frosting
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
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In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. On medium speed, beat in egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Add milk and sour cream/heavy cream and beat until combined. Add the other half of the dry ingredients and beat slowly just until combined. Stir in sprinkles. Do not over mix – the less you mix, the lighter the cupcakes will be.
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Divide batter evenly between the cups, filling them about ¾ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Frost cupcakes with frosting and top with sprinkles.
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Unfrosted cupcakes can be kept tightly covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw, still covered, on the counter or overnight in the fridge (same for the frosting but bring it to room temperature and stir well before using to frost the cupcakes). Frosted cupcakes can be kept at room temperature for 24 hours or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving (at least 1 hour).
