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Funfetti Cupcakes Recipe

These fluffy and moist homemade funfetti cupcakes are the perfect birthday cupcake! Confetti cupcakes are full of sprinkles and can be topped with any frosting. Learn how to make birthday funfetti cupcakes from scratch with our tips.

Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes

I’m starting to wonder how funfetti cupcakes got their name. White cake with sprinkles somehow turned into funfetti cake.

Sprinkle cake would seem a little more obvious.

I’m not sure if this is correct, but funfetti seems like it could have been derived from the word confetti.. so even sprinkle confetti cake would make more sense.

But someone decided that FUNfetti was more fun then sprinkle confetti cake and it stuck.

Regardless of the name, there are sprinkles involved. Lots of sprinkles. There is nothing worse than a funfetti cake that is lacking on the funfetti side.

Our recipe calls for 1/2 cup of sprinkles in the batter, plus more sprinkles to top the cupcakes. When topping the cakes with sprinkles, you have full control over your desired sprinkle quantity.

I’m sure if you let your kids decorate the cupcakes they’ll be on the heavy sprinkle side like mine. I mean have you ever met a kid that didn’t like sprinkles?!

Funfetti Cupcake Recipe Ingredients

Confetti Cupcake Frosting Piping Supplies

What sprinkles to use for funfetti cupcakes?

Jimmie sprinkles are the best type of sprinkle to use when making funfetti cake and cupcakes. Jimmie sprinkles are the long, skinny “hot dog” shape sprinkle.

I do not recommend using nonpareils, the small round ball sprinkles, because their color tends to bleed during baking.

After much searching, I found that Walmart’s Great Value brand jimmie sprinkles are the best looking sprinkles because the colors are bright and the sprinkle mixture doesn’t contain brown sprinkles. I don’t want brown sprinkles because they don’t look appealing!

How to Make Funfetti Cupcakes

  1. In a mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar, beat using an electric mixer, 1-2 minutes until fluffy. 
  2. Add in the egg whites, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat lightly with the electric mixer. 
  3. In a separate mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sprinkles. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a few spoonfuls at a time. Mix until just incorporated.
  4. Fill the muffin liners 1/2-3/4 full. Bake for 17-19 minutes at 350º F or until a few moist crumbs remain on a toothpick when inserted into the center. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before adding the frosting.

Time Required to Make Confetti Cupcakes

How to Pipe Frosting onto Confetti Cupcakes

Funfetti Cupcakes Recipe Variations

Confetti Cupcake frosting

You can easily make the vanilla buttercream into any color you want with food coloring – I like wilton’s gel food colors because they are vibrant and a little goes a long way!

Here are more frosting options:

How to Make Funfetti Cupcakes Gluten Free

This recipe turned out great using gluten free flour! We love King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Follow the directions as stated, but substitute gluten free flour for all purpose flour. 

Funfetti Cupcakes Recipe Tips

How to Store Confetti Cupcakes

How to Freeze Unfrosted Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely. Wrap each cupcake in plastic wrap, then place inside a freezer ziplock bag or freezer storage container.

To thaw: place the bag or container of cupcakes on the counter overnight. Frost once fully thawed. 

More like this Confetti Cupcake Recipe

Homemade Confetti Cupcake Recipe FAQs

How To Make Moist Funfetti Cupcakes?

Our recipe calls for a lot of moist ingredients. We use egg whites instead of whole eggs, sour cream and milk. Using egg whites only gives the batter a nice white look. The sour cream and milk are where the fat, flavor, and moistness come into play.

Is Funfetti cake different than vanilla?

While both cakes share a similar base, the magic of Funfetti lies in the addition of colorful sprinkles mixed into the batter. These sprinkles add pops of color and a touch of whimsy to the cake, making it perfect for celebrations and bringing smiles to faces. So, while the flavor may be similar to vanilla, the fun and festive appearance of Funfetti cake sets it apart as a cheerful and playful treat!

What is the best temperature to bake cupcakes?

Baking cupcakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or around 175 degrees Celsius) is a pretty sweet spot! It allows them to bake evenly without burning or drying out too quickly. Just keep an eye on them towards the end of the baking time to ensure they’re perfectly golden and fluffy.

How full do you fill cupcake liners?

Fill cupcake liners about halfway to three-quarters full. This leaves just enough room for the cupcakes to rise and form those cute little domes without overflowing.

Should funfetti cake batter be thick?

Yes, funfetti cake batter should typically have a similar consistency to regular cake batter, which is pourable but not overly thin. However, because funfetti cake batter contains sprinkles, it may appear slightly thicker due to the additional ingredients.

What is the best frosting for funfetti cupcakes?

The best frosting for funfetti cupcakes is usually a classic vanilla buttercream. Its smooth and creamy texture complements the fluffy cake and adds a deliciously sweet flavor without overwhelming the colorful sprinkles. Plus, you can easily tint the frosting with food coloring to match the festive vibe of the funfetti cupcakes.

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Confetti Cupcake Recipe

By: Beth
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
These fluffy and moist homemade funfetti cupcakes are the perfect birthday cupcake! Confetti cupcakes are full of sprinkles and can be topped with any frosting. Learn how to make birthday funfetti cupcakes from scratch with our tips.


Ingredients 

Funfetti Cupcakes

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, 1/2 cup
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup milk, skim, 1%, 2% or whole
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup jimmies sprinkles

Vanilla Frosting

  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened, 1 1/2 cups
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar
  • more sprinkles, to top the cupcakes

Instructions 

Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar, beat using an electric mixer, 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
  • Add in the egg whites, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat lightly with the electric mixer.
  • In a separate mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sprinkles.
  • Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a few spoonfuls at a time. Mix until just incorporated.
  • Fill the muffin liners 1/2-3/4 full. Bake for 17-19 minutes at 350º F or until a few moist crumbs remain on a toothpick when inserted into the center.
  • Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before adding the frosting.

Frosting

  • In a mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  • Add in the vanilla extract and 2 cups of powdered sugar, mix by hand with a spatula.
  • Add in more powdered sugar as you see fit, then mix one last time with the electric mixer.
  • Add the frosting to the cooled cupcakes by spreading the frosting on with a knife, piping it on or using a large cookie dough scoop.
  • Decorate with additional sprinkles.

Nutrition

Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 1039IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
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