Funfetti Cupcakes

image of a funfetti cupcake that's been unwrapped

4.82 from 556 rating

This delicious funfetti cupcake recipe is so easy to make! It comes together in one bowl and makes super moist & fluffy cupcakes!!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Additional Time5

Total Time35

Course: Cupcakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 cupcakes

Calories: 569kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Funfetti Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 160g
1 cup granulated sugar 200g
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 6g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
1/2 cup water, warm 120ml
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature 125g
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil 55ml
1 large egg, room temperature 56g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4ml
1/2 tsp almond extract - optional 2ml
1/4 cup rainbow jimmies / long sprinkles 45g

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4ml
1/4 tsp fine salt 2g
2 cups powdered sugar 250g
2 Tbsp heavy cream or milk, room temperature 30ml

Instructions

Funfetti Cupcakes

Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F/175°C. Place 12 cupcake liners in a muffin tin and set aside.
Add 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt to a large bowl. Whisk together until combined and set aside.
In a separate, large bowl, add 1/2 cup warm water, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 egg, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp of almond extract. Whisk together until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. The batter should be thin, but that's the way it's supposed to be! Gently fold in 1/4 cup of rainbow sprinkles.
Divide the cupcake batter evenly between the muffin liners, filling them about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling. If you want to accelerate the cooling process, pop the cupcake pan into your freezer for about 30 minutes.

Vanilla Buttercream

Beat 1/2 cup of butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp of salt on medium speed for 30 seconds with a whisk or hand mixer until smooth.
Gradually mix in 2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp of heavy cream or milk on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, then mix on a medium-high speed for a minute to make the frosting nice and fluffy.
If the frosting seems too thick, add additional cream (1 Tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (a quarter of a cup at a time).
Place the buttercream in a piping bag fitted with your favorite frosting tip (I used a Wilton 1M) and seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. set aside.

Decorating These Funfetti Cupcakes

The last step is to decorate these funfetti cupcakes! Pour your favorite sprinkle blend into a small bowl (I combined 3 different types of rainbow sprinkles to make my own blend), then pipe a small dollop of frosting onto a cupcake and dunk the cupcake into the sprinkles. Gently press the cupcake into the sprinkles until the frosting has flattened out into a thin layer and is fully covered with sprinkles.
Pipe a swirl of buttercream on top of the layer of sprinkles and repeat with the remaining cupcakes. Add a small pinch of sprinkles on top of each cupcake, then enjoy!

Video

Notes

Substitutions and Swaps

If you need to make any substitutions or swaps in this recipe, please check out the section on ingredient substitutions in the post above.

Yield

This recipe makes 1 dozen cupcakes. It can be halved (scramble an egg and use half the mixture, or use an egg white) or doubled to change the yield as needed.

This recipe can also be used to make mini funfetti cupcakes! This recipe makes about 40 mini cupcakes, which can be baked at 350°F/175°C for 14-17 minutes. Bake time and yield can vary based on your mini cupcake liners and pan size.

Tips for Making The Best Funfetti Cupcakes

Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Ingredients at room temperature mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
Use a cookie scoop to fill your cupcake liners easily.

Making These Cupcakes In Advance & Storage Tips

You can make these cupcakes in advance! They can be stored unfrosted in an airtight container, overnight at room temperature, or for up to a week in the fridge.

These cupcakes can also last up to 3 months in the freezer. Wait to frost them until they're thawed if you plan to freeze them.

Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature for a couple of days or be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. However, the fresher they are, the better they taste!

The frosting can also be made ahead of time, or you can save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition