rainbow funfetti cupcakes
Swirled buttercream is the best buttercream.
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/3 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup funfetti jimmies or discs (NOT NONPAREILS), plus more for garnish
rainbow cake batter buttercream
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cake batter extract
- 4 1/2-5 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3-1/2 cup heavy cream
- red, green, and yellow gel dyes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with parchment liners.
- In a large bowl, beat the oil and sugar for 2-3 minutes until combined. Whip in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla and yogurt. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running, stream in the buttermilk until the batter is just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the funfetti sprinkles with a spatula.
- Fill each cupcake tin 2/3 of the way with batter. Depending on what your heart says 2/3 of the way full is, you will get 22-24 cupcakes. Bake for 25-30 minutes until an inserted toothpick emerges with just a few moist crumbs. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then transfer the cupcakes to wire racks. Cool completely.
- Make the frosting. Whip the butter and vanilla until combined, then add 4 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar and 1/3 cup of cream. Crank the mixer to high, and beat until very light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. You may need an extra tablespoon of two of cream to achieve the desired texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as needed, to properly incorporate all the ingredients.
- Divide the buttercream into three bowls. Add 2-3 drops of red dye to one, green dye to the second, and 4-5 drops of yellow dye to the third (yellow is usually less pigmented). Stir with a spoon until the dye is evenly distributed.
- Alternate dolloping a spoonful of each dye into your piping bag. Pipe each cupcake with the buttercream and ogle at the pretty swirl patterns made by the colors. Yes, you did that yourself! Amazing job. Sprinkle each cupcake with a bit more funfetti to finish.
Notes
*To store: Baked, unfrosted cupcakes will keep up to 3 days in the fridge, after which I would decorate and serve within 2 days. Finished cupcakes, then, will keep for up to 5 days.