These are the best funfetti cupcakes! They are soft and tender white cupcakes filled with colorful sprinkles and frosted with decadent white chocolate buttercream frosting.
These moist confetti cupcakes are perfect for special occasions like birthday celebrations!
If you're looking for other cupcake recipes check out my chocolate cupcakes, white chocolate cupcakes, pumpkin cupcakes, carrot cake cupcakes, butterbeer cupcakes, red velvet cupcakes or salted caramel almond cupcakes.
Why You'll Love these Easy Funfetti Cupcakes:
They have so many sprinkles! These are the best celebration cupcakes because they're speckled with so many rainbow sprinkles. You can't help but be happy when looking at them!
They have the perfect texture and birthday cake flavor. These cupcakes are so tender and moist and vanilla gives it the perfect birthday flavor.
They're frosted with white chocolate buttercream. This frosting is decadent and tastes just like a white chocolate truffle. It's my absolute favorite frosting ever!
Simple Ingredients for Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes:
- Flour- cake flour is used for the most tender crumb
- Sugar– granulated sugar is used to sweeten the cupcakes
- Unsalted Butter – make sure it is softened, will be used in the cupcakes and the frosting
- Buttermilk– makes the cupcakes extra moist
- Vanilla– I recommend vanilla bean paste for the best flavor but vanilla extract works as well
- Egg Whites– make sure they're room temperature
- Baking Soda & Powder– helps give the cupcakes their fluffy texture
- Salt– brings out all the flavors in these cupcakes
- Rainbow Sprinkles- use rainbow jimmies for the best results
- Powdered Sugar- used to sweeten the frosting
- White Chocolate- I recommend using a high quality white chocolate bar like Lindt for the best flavor
Step by Step Instructions
STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then set aside the dry ingredients.
STEP TWO: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and granulated white sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)
STEP THREE: Next add in the egg whites and vanilla and mix on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until pale and smooth.
STEP FOUR: Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the butter mixture a little at a time until each has been added completely, mixing on low speed, then medium speed for each addition. Mix just until the batter is combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. The batter will be thick.
STEP FIVE: Add in the rainbow jimmies and mix on low speed just until combined.
STEP SIX: Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and divide batter among each. Fill each cup two-thirds to three-quarters full. Bake and let cool completely.
STEP SEVEN: To make the white chocolate buttercream add the butter and salt to a large bowl. Whip with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 to 10 minutes until the butter is pale, fluffy and double in size. Pour in the melted white chocolate and combine on medium speed. Then sift the powdered sugar into the mixture ½ cup (65 g) at a time. Mix on low, then medium speed, making sure each addition is fully combined before adding the next. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary. When the last addition is incorporated, mix on high speed for about 1 minute until the frosting is light and fluffy. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.
STEP EIGHT: Once cool, pipe white chocolate buttercream onto each. Sprinkle extra sprinkles on top of each and serve!
Please see recipe card below for the complete funfetti cupcake recipe!
FAQs
Can I use another type of sprinkles besides jimmies in the cupcake batter? Jimmies are the best option for the cupcake batter. All other sprinkles tend to melt into the batter and won't be as noticeable, or might give the cake an unwanted ugly hue. I recommend sticking with jimmies.
How long will these cupcakes stay fresh for? They'll stay fresh for up to three days in an airtight container.
Can I use all purpose flour? You can, but cake flour will give you the best cupcake texture. If you want to use all-purpose flour, use 1 cup + 2 tablespoon (141 g).
Can I use white chocolate chips? I really recommend using a high quality white chocolate bar, like Lindt, for these cupcakes. It will give you the best flavor and consistency in the frosting.
Do I have to use buttermilk? If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can easily swap it out for ½ cup of whole milk mixed with ½ tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
Pro Tips
Measure your flour properly. This is always my #1 baking tip. Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to using too much flour. Instead sprinkle spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe excess flour off with the back of a knife. Or better yet, weigh your flour. 1 cup of AP flour weighs 125 grams, and 1 cup of cake flour weighs 112 grams .
Make sure all your wet ingredients are room temperature. You'll have the best textured cupcakes when the ingredients are room temperature instead of cold. Cold wet ingredients can the cupcakes turn out "gummy".
Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the cupcake batter into the liners. This helps to more easily distribute the batter evenly among the liners.
Trouble shooting buttercream: If the frosting gets too warm after it's made, pop it I the fridge for 5-10 minutes. Then mix with an electric mixer to get it fluffy again. Pipe on cupcakes as usual.
If you make these cupcakes please leave a star review, it's so helpful for me! Also, tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Other Desserts to Try:
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie
📖 Recipe
Funfetti Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Funfetti Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups (140 g) cake flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoon (70 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g)ranulated white sugar
- 2 egg whites, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (45 g) rainbow jimmies
For the White Chocolate Buttercream
- ¾ cup (168 g) softened, unsalted butter
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 oz (56 g) high quality white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled (Lindt or Ghirardelli bar)
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) powdered sugar
- extra rainbow jimmies for decorating
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then set aside the dry ingredients.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and granulated white sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)
- Next add in the egg whites and vanilla and mix on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until pale and smooth.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the butter mixture a little at a time until each has been added completely, mixing on low speed, then medium speed for each addition. Mix just until the batter is combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. The batter will be thick.
- Add in the rainbow jimmies and mix on low speed just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners until each is two-thirds to three-quarters full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 16 to 18 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean from the centers. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
For the White Chocolate Buttercream
- Add the butter and salt to a large bowl. Whip with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 to 10 minutes until the butter is pale, fluffy and double in size.
- Pour in the melted white chocolate and combine on medium speed.
- Then sift the powdered sugar into the mixture ½ cup (65 g) at a time. Mix on low, then medium speed, making sure each addition is fully combined before adding the next. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- When the last addition is incorporated, mix on high speed for about 1 minute until the frosting is light and fluffy. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.
- Once the cupcakes are cool, pipe white chocolate buttercream onto each. Sprinkle extra sprinkles on top of each and serve!
Do you use standard cupcake liners or Jumbo?
Hi Traci. I use standard cupcake liners!
Hi! Do you have a preferred brand of buttermilk?
Hi Lisa! I use Marburger, but 1/2 cup milk or half n half with 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice works perfectly as well 🙂
You should watermark your photos. The bogus bakery, Kylie's Kakes Dessert Bar & Cafe stole some of the photos from your website and claimed them as theirs. KK's a horrible place. JS
Hi! I think I did something wrong! Unlike the chocolate cake this was complete failure, I think maybe the cake flour was the mistake. What is cake flour, cause I used Betty crocker white cake mix. But maybe that's why it was wrong? The mix tasted awesome but the cake explored and spilled in the oven.
Hi Moni! Yes, using cake mix was definitely the problem. Cake mix is not the same as cake flour. A common cake flour brand in the US is Swans Down, or King Arthur. Cake flour is super finely ground flour used for making cakes extra light and fluffy. Cake mix has baking soda and baking powder already mixed in to it, so adding more leavening agents would be exactly why your cupcakes spilled over when baking.
Would I be able to use regular flour?
Yes! See the blog post for information on swapping flours.