You probably know I celebrated my birthday last week. I had an awesome day! Okay, so it was freezing out, but with the sun shining, I stayed inside and pretended it was sixty. It kinda worked!
The day was spent with Mom – my favorite person in the world. I can’t imagine anyone else I’d rather spend my birthday with. It began with oatmeal, a celebratory phone call from Dad, another call from my aunt and uncle, and some email checking and magazine reading. Not a bad way to start the day!
Then, Mom and I made Funfetti Cupcakes (more on those in a bit) before cozying up on the sofa and watching About Time. Not the best movie ever, but it was cute. A surprise delivery of flowers later – bright, happy yellow lilies and peach roses – and Dad arriving home from work meant it was time for dinner.
Mom and I have been ordering fresh wild Alaskan king salmon from the famous Pike’s Place Market in Seattle since the weather has made it tough to trek across town to our favorite market. I could get addicted to this fish, though; the quality is unparalleled. I want to order it all the time . . . but I’ve been trying to resist because overnight shipping . . . yikes! Mom and I had salmon and a salad (Dad had chicken – he won’t eat fish . . . unless it’s fried!). We all enjoyed some cupcakes and then it was time to open presents!
I’m in love with my Chanel credit card holder and I can’t wait to watch Despicable Me 1 and 2 again. We watched them over the holidays and I fell in love. It was a great day, and I know it kicked off my 24th year just right!
So, now, about those Funfetti Cupcakes. Mom was all sprinkles aren’t my favorite and you don’t have to put any on top of mine. But birthdays need sprinkles, so it was sprinkles all around 🙂
These cupcakes are just what I wanted them to be. A soft, moist vanilla cupcake heaped with vanilla frosting. I topped them with Vanilla Bean Italian Meringue Buttercream because it’s my favorite and it was my birthday, but feel free to use whatever vanilla frosting you love. I do highly recommend trying this one – you’ll fall in love with it too. Yeah, birthdays and sprinkles definitely go together!
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From Scratch Funfetti Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 11-12 Cupcakes 1x
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup milk (I used almond, use what you love)
- 1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 5 large egg whites
- ½ + ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- Rainbow sprinkles, for topping
Instructions
- Make the cupcakes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. I did this by hand, but a hand or stand mixer would work as well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating in between. Add the vanilla and beat until once again light and fluffy.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour and baking powder.
- Stir half the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Stir in the milk. Then stir in the remaining flour until just combined. Quickly stir in sprinkles, so the colors don’t bleed into the batter. Using a regular sized ice cream scoop, scoop batter into prepared pan and bake 20-23 minutes, rotating halfway through if necessary, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool cupcakes completely in pan.
- Make the frosting. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, and corn syrup over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once this happens, stop stirring, attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, and allow the mixture to come to 240 degrees F on the thermometer. In the meantime, place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high until foamy. Once foamy, add the cream of tartar and continue beating on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Be sure not to over whip the egg whites or they will become dry.
- Once the eggs are whipped and the syrup is at 240, turn the eggs to medium-low, immediately remove the syrup from the heat, and begin slowly and steadily drizzling it into the eggs. If the syrup is ready before the eggs, it can be turned down or removed from the heat while the eggs finish, before being replaced on the heat to bring to temperature. If the eggs are ready before the syrup, stop mixing them until the syrup is almost ready. Turn them back to medium-high briefly before turning them back down and adding the syrup.
- Once the syrup has all been added, turn the mixer back to medium-high and beat the frosting (what is basically marshmallow crème and is delectable all by itself) for 10-13 minutes until the bottom of the bowl is barely warm or at room temperature. It is important for it to not be too warm or the next step will not work.
- Once cooled, add the butter a couple tablespoons at a time, allowing each addition to incorporate before adding another. Scrape down the bowl occasionally. Once all the butter is incorporated, add the vanilla bean paste and mix to combine. Remove the bowl from the mixer and mix briefly by hand to make sure there are no clumps of butter. If the frosting is a bit soupy (because it was too warm when the butter was added) stick it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, beat it again with the stand mixer. It should come together.
- Assemble the cupcakes. Frost each cupcake with a generous amount of frosting and sprinkle with additional sprinkles. Cupcakes may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen, wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for about an hour.
Notes
Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is
aw it sounds like you had a great day!!
and mmmm funfetti cupcakes remind me of being a kid-yours look like the tastiest I’ve seen!!
There’s just something about sprinkles that is so….happy! I love them! Of course, any birthday cake (or cupcake) should be chock full of ’em 🙂 Happy Belated Bday!
Thanks, Rachael, and thanks for visiting! Birthdays always need sprinkles!
I love Funfetti! It reminds me of almost every birthday growing up! I love making them from scratch now, they taste even better! 🙂
Homemade is always the best!
Oh so glad you had a great birthday! These cupcakes are perfect. I love me a great vanilla cupcake 🙂
Yes, vanilla cupcakes are the best!
I want one, please!
they’re so funfetti and colourful, just gorgeous and very sweet and delicious, yummyyyy 😀
So cute, I love them!! Perfect to celebrate your birthday 🙂
Happy weekend Xx
Aww your birthday sounds fun! Definitely my kind of birthday…I love just staying in and eating good food! These funfetti cupcakes are ADORABLE!! Totally birthday-worthy.
Oh yum, the cupcakes look amazing! And happy belated birthday 🙂 I love Alaskan salmon too, have you tried Sockeye salmon? So, so good!
Thanks, Leslee, and thanks for visiting 🙂 I love Sockeye salmon. That and King are my favorites and I can’t get enough of either!
Happy Birthday! From scratch cupcakes are a marvelous way to celebrate! What dazzling little treats!
Thanks, Deb!
Love from scratch.
The frosting, oh the frosting is what kills me, I just eat too much of it.
I love homemade frosting
I ate so much frosting! Have you ever made Italian meringue buttercream. It is dangerous!
Those look great. I need some.
Thanks, Eric, and thanks for stopping by!
Happy, happy birthday!! Hope you had great day, and why wouldn’t you with these lovely funfetti cupcakes!! Sprinkes are so happy, aren’t they?
Thank you so much! Sprinkles are definitely happy! Thanks for visiting too 🙂
Sounds like a fantastic day! I love making homemade funfetti cupcakes – they remind me of being a kid. I always asked for either funfetti or an ice cream cake for my birthday : ) These look delicious!
What fun cupcakes! And I love the frosting to cake ratio….just perfect!
Sounds like you had a terrific birthday! These wonderful cup cakes certainly added to the festivities. Terrific recipe — thanks.
It sounds like you had a fantastic birthday. Nothing beats fresh fish. I’m kind of jealous. These cupcakes put a smile on my face; they’re so bright and cheery.
Happy belated birthday my friend! 🙂 Sprinkles are always appropriate for a birthday! Sounds like you had a lovely time. Love Despicable Me 1 and !!
…and 2!!
Thanks, Tina!