it has been a long time since i’ve made a cupcake, let alone eaten one. but when our cousin reunion called for some sort of celebratory dessert, i channeled my inner katniss everdeen and volunteered as tribute pastry chef. well-versed in the universal adoration for all things funfetti, my cousin sent me a link to a recipe for homemade funfetti cupcakes. i was just going to use the box, but a chance to get all martha stewart up in here? well, yes.
so with the assistance of my parents’ kitchen (and baking supplies), i set forth on operation: funfetti early saturday afternoon. and despite a few dozen rogue sprinkles finding temporary home in the nooks and crannies of the kitchen floor, the end result was almost pilsbury blue-ribbon-worthy.
homemade funfetti cupcakes (from how sweet it is blog)
(makes 12 cupcakes)
ingredients (for cupcakes):
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
2 whole eggs
1 tbs. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup assorted colored sprinkles + more for top of frosting
paper cupcake tins
directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees. cream butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy (about three minutes). add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. add half of the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing until just combined. add the milk. once mixed, add remaining dry ingredients. fold in assorted sprinkles. pour batter into cupcake tins and fill 2/3 of the way full. bake for 18-20 minutes. let cool, then frost!
ingredients (for vanilla buttercream frosting):
2 sticks of butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbs. vanilla extract
1 tbs. of milk, if needed
directions:
cream butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until completely smooth and creamy (a kitchen aid works great as well). with the mixer on low speed, add in powdered sugar slowly. gradually increase mixer speed and add vanilla, then beat for two to three minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. if frosting is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved. if it’s too thin, add sugar gradually until it thickens. frost cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles.
