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Loaded M&M cupcakes! Moist vanilla cupcakes with mini M&Ms in the batter, topped with vanilla buttercream and more mini M&Ms!
I’m kind of a sucker when it comes to the small candy section that’s right by the check out at the grocery store.
I rarely buy something, but it turns me into a pile of mush.
Part of the reason is that it brings on childhood nostalgia.
Every summer growing up our whole extended family would stay at a lake cabin together. Us cousins would drive the speed boat over to the bait shop where we each picked out whatever we wanted. Some of my favorites were ring pops and push pops (I know, haha!) and if I wanted something chocolatey, I really wasn’t picky, because all chocolate candy is good!
Do you remember when the brightly colored cylinder containers of mini M&Ms were popular?
Sometimes that’s what I would buy at the bait shop because after you ate all the M&Ms, you had this tiny flip top container that you could store stuff in! It was the perfect size to keep my coins in!
Those containers of mini M&MS are harder to find these days, but when I see these cute M&M cupcakes, that’s what I think of!
Normally when I have cupcakes lying around the kitchen, I bring them to small group, but this was the last recipe I made before moving to Michigan and things were a little crazy, so Ryan and I ate most of them, hahaha.
But I’m totally not complaining. I love our white cupcake batter, it’s so moist and has great flavor. Then adding M&Ms into the mix adds that pop of chocolate. Kids will adore these cupcakes because they are brightly colored (and plus they get to eat candy!) but I know that all you adults will really like them too!
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M&M Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 stick unsalted butter, 1/2 cup
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup skim milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup mini M&Ms
Vanilla Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- Dash of milk or heavy cream, if frosting becomes too thick
- Handful of mini M&Ms to top the cupcakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat using an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. Add in egg whites, one at a time, lightly mixing with a spatula after each one. Add in sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat lightly.
- In a separate mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients a few spoonfuls at a time.
- Add in mini M&Ms, mix until just incorporated. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 400° F. Keeping cupcakes in the oven, turn heat down to 350°F and bake for 8-9 minutes, or until a few moist crumbs remain on a toothpick when inserted into center.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before adding frosting.
- To prepare icing, combine butter and vanilla extract. Beat using an electric mixer until fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, mixing by hand. Continue adding powdered sugar until frosting no longer looks wet and is sweetened to your liking. Next use an electric mixer to mix frosting until powdered sugar is fully incorporated. If frosting becomes too thick, add a dash of milk or heavy cream.
- Place butter cream in a piping bag fit with your desired tip. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and top with mini M&Ms, if desired.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If storing cupcakes prior to serving, add M&Ms to frosting right before serving (M&Ms can lose their color from sitting on frosting).
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
The recipe says to combine the butter, vegetable shortening and vanilla, but there is no shortening listed in the ingredients. Does that just mean the shortening can be substituted for the butter?
Yes! I have moved over to using an all butter frosting. I’ll update the directions.
If I wanted to make these into mini cupcakes, what would you suggest the bake time be?