Funfetti Cupcakes
Moist and pillowy vanilla cupcakes brimming with colorful sprinkles and topped with a fluffy crown of vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream! Don't forget the extra sprinkles on top!
Ingredients
Funfetti Cupcakes:
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 1 whole egg
- 1 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
- 2 teaspoons clear imitation vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup multi-colored cylinder-shaped sprinkles (also called "jimmies")
Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- 5 egg whites
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons clear imitation vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
To Decorate:
- MORE sprinkles!!
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF degrees. Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until lightened and creamy. Beat in the egg whites and whole egg, one at a time, until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla, and almond extract on medium speed.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Add the milk, then mix until just combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Stir in the sprinkles until just combined. Try not to overmix the batter at this point, or the color from the sprinkles will bleed into the batter.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 19-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Buttercream:
- Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, and place the bowl over a simmering pot of water. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until sugar is dissolved and the temperature registers 150-160°F on a candy thermometer, about 3 minutes.
- Secure whisk attachment onto stand mixer, and beat the egg white mixture on high speed until stiff peaks form. It should be fluffy and cooled to room temperature. Add the butter, one piece at a time, until smooth and creamy. If the mixture looks curdled, that’s totally normal–just keep beating until it becomes smooth and satiny.*
- Add the vanilla and almond extract; beat until fully incorporated. Transfer buttercream to a piping bag, fitted with a star tip. I used Wilton's 1M tip.
To Assemble:
- Pipe buttercream on top of cupcakes, then top with sprinkles. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
*If you find that your SMB still looks curdled no matter how long you’ve beaten it, simply remove a couple of tablespoons of the curdled frosting and place it into a small microwaveable bowl. Heat it in the microwave until it’s completely melted, then add it back into the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on, and beat everything until it’s smooth. If it still looks curdled, just keep repeating this reheating technique a tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together. If the buttercream looks soupy and runny, chill the bowl of frosting in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. Take it out, then beat the mixture until smooth and satiny.