Funfetti Cupcakes

These pretty Funfetti Cupcakes are soft, fluffy and topped with tall swirls of sweet pink vanilla buttercream! “Funfetti” flavour is a nostalgic combination of vanilla cake, rainbow sprinkles, and childhood birthday party vibes. The cupcake sponge and buttercream are both laced with vanilla extract, adding a gentle floral warmth that pairs beautifully with the sweet bursts of sprinkles. Funfetti cupcakes are the perfect bake for birthdays, parties and baby showers (I made them for my 30th birthday!).

What are the best sprinkles to use for Funfetti Cupcakes?

Two words… Rainbow Jimmies! They’re a short sugar strand sprinkle from America with a bright and vibrant colour. The difference between Rainbow Jimmies and rainbow sugar strands found in the UK is all about how they react to baking temperatures. Rainbow Jimmies will melt into your cupcakes but stay bright and colourful, whereas normal UK multi-coloured sprinkles tend to lose their colour and fade into nothingness. So for Funfetti Cupcakes, Rainbow Jimmies are the type to use! You can buy the sprinkles here.

Quick recipe overview

There are only two steps to making these funfetti cupcakes; the cupcake sponge and the buttercream. Both are really simple, quick and easy. Here’s a quick overview of the recipe:

1. Start by making a simple sponge mixture; butter, sugar, eggs and flour. Milk is added to make the sponge soft and fluffy, and a generous amount of vanilla extract gives the mixture that signature Funfetti flavour.
2. The cupcakes are baked for 18-20 minutes until risen and golden on top.
3. For the buttercream, butter, icing sugar and milk are mixed together until smooth and creamy. You can either leave the buttercream as is, or add a few drops of pink food colouring to make it pink.
4. Tall buttercream swirls are piped on top of the cupcakes. Use an open star nozzle to get that lovely swirl effect.
5. Sprinkle the sprinkles on top to finish the cupcakes!

Tips for piping buttercream swirls

Piping buttercream swirls can take a little practice but with the right equipment and a few helpful tips, you’ll master it in no time! Here are the steps I follow when piping buttercream swirls:

1. Fit a large piping bag with a large open star nozzle and fill it with buttercream.
2. Push the buttercream down to the bottom of the piping bag, smoothing out any air bubbles.
3. Twist the top of the piping bag so the buttercream is compact.
4. Use your writing hand to hold the top of the piping bag (this is the one you’ll apply pressure with). Then place the other hand on top and use this one to guide the piping bag.
5. Hold the piping bag upright at the outer edge of the cupcake and pipe in a circular motion spiralling inwards and upwards.
6. To finish the swirl, release pressure and gently lift the piping bag up.

Funfetti Cupcakes Recipe

These delicious Funfetti Cupcakes are soft, fluffy and piled high with pink vanilla buttercream. The bright rainbow sprinkles make them a favourite for birthdays and celebrations, I actually made them for my 30th Birthday this year!

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Prep: 30 minutes minutes

Cook: 20 minutes minutes

Total: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 180 g Margarine or unsalted butter I like to use Stork baking spread
• 180 g White caster sugar
• 2 large Eggs at room temperature
• 180 g Self-raising flour
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp Milk
• 2 tbsp Rainbow Jimmies or coloured sprinkles

For the buttercream

• 200 g Salted butter soft at room temperature
• 400 g Icing sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp Milk
• Pink food colouring
• Rainbow Jimmies for decoration

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan). Line a cupcake baking tin with 12 cases.
• Beat the margarine (or butter) and caster sugar together until light and creamy.
• Mix in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with each egg to stop the mixture from curdling.
• Add the remaining flour, milk and vanilla extract, and fold everything together into a smooth cake mixture. Now fold in the rainbow sprinkles.
• Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling each one roughly two-thirds full.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and leave to cool completely.

Now make the buttercream

• In a large bowl beat the butter until really soft and pale in colour. Sift in the icing sugar and mix until smooth, then fold in the vanilla extract and milk.
• Mix in a few drops of pink food colouring until you reach the desired colour.
• Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large, open-star nozzle. Pipe tall swirls of buttercream on top of the cupcakes and decorate with more sprinkles to add a pop of colour.

Notes

Your Funfetti cupcakes will keep fresh in an airtight container for up to 4 days. 

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