Quiet possibly the happiest cupcakes of all time! These homemade funfetti cupcakes are the perfect dessert for a birthday party, celebration, or any day of the week. They are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face! And even better, these cupcakes are easy to make and turn out soft, fluffy and full of flavor.
What are funfetti cupcakes?
At first glance a funfetti cupcake is a basic cupcake with fun colored sprinkles added to the batter. But for me, it is so much more. A funfetti cupcake has it’s own unique flavor. Not just a plain vanilla cupcake with sprinkles tossed in, but with a little something special. To achieve the special flavor I had in mind I added what I like to think of as my secret ingredient, almond extract!
The trick with adding in almond extract is to find the right amount for a balanced and unique flavor. Add too much and you have an overwhelming almond flavored cupcake. Add too little and it can get completely lost. That being said, almond extract is very potent, so a little goes a long way.
In this recipe, I found that 1/2 tsp was the perfect amount of almond to achieve a unique flavor that sets funfetti cupcakes apart from the rest!
Tips for making the perfect cupcakes
- Room temperature ingredients – this is KEY in any recipe that calls for room temperature ingredients, so don’t take the lazy route here. Having all of the ingredients at the same temperature helps everything to incorporate evenly, creating a smooth and silky batter.
- Don’t over mix the batter – I can’t say this enough! Mixing too much will result in the over development of gluten strands. Which will cause your cupcakes to become dense and chewy instead of light and fluffy.
- Use high quality extracts – a lot of flavor is coming from the extracts used in this recipe so using a high quality one will give you the best results. Nielsen-Massay is my go-to choice!
Sprinkle options
Let’s talk about sprinkles! As cute as they all are, not all are created equal! I recommend using either quins/confetti/sequin or jimmy sprinkles because these types will hold up better in the batter and are less likely to melt when mixing.
Quins, also know as confetti or sequins, are small round shaped sprinkles. Jimmys are the classic long and skinny shaped sprinkles. They are very common and can be found in many grocery stores and baking/craft stores. I’ve used both Wilton Brand and Sweetapolita’s sprinkles when making these cupcakes with great results!
Do not use nonpareil sprinkles in the batter. They are too small and more likely to melt. These are great for decorating the tops of cakes and cupcakes so feel free to sprinkle over the frosting.
Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 16–18 cupcakes 1x
Description
A homemade version of a childhood favorite, funfetti cupcakes! Super soft and fluffy with its own unique flavor, and chock full of rainbow sprinkles! Topped with a delicious and easy vanilla buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites, room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temp
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temp
- 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles, plus more for decoration (jimmies or quins)
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 1/2 – 4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–4 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 cupcake pans with 18 paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer use the paddle attachment to beat the butter until smooth and creamy, a few minutes. Add in the sugar and continue beating until well combined with the butter and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add in the egg whites, one at a time, until incorporated. Add in the vanilla extract, almond extract and sour cream. Mix on low speed to combine. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl again.
- Add in the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix on low speed. Continue mixing on low speed and slowly add in the milk, mixing just until everything is incorporated. Fold in the sprinkles by hand with a large rubber spatula, careful not to over mix or color could begin to bleed from the sprinkles.
- Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling 2/3 full. Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes until the tops spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cupcake. Let cool completely on a wire rack before adding frosting.
Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until light and creamy. Slowly add in 3 1/2 cups of the sifted confectioner’s sugar, 1 cup at a time, and mix on low speed until combined.
- Add in the vanilla extract, 2 tbsp heavy cream (or milk) and a small pinch of salt. Mix the frosting on a medium high speed until it becomes light, fluffy and smooth.
- If needed, add in more cream/milk if the frosting is too stiff or more confectioner’s sugar if the frosting is too loose in texture.
- Add frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a star tip nozzle (or nozzle of choice). Pipe frosting as desired on top of each of the cooled cupcakes. Finish by adding a few more sprinkles on top of the frosting of each cupcake.
Notes
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge.
- To Freeze: once cupcakes are completely cooled, place the unfrosted cupcakes into an airtight container or a ziplock freezer bag in a single layer. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
Megan
These are so incredibly moist and yummy! Wouldn’t change a thing!
Courtney
Thanks so much Megan! I’m happy you enjoyed these cupcakes!