Description
Delightfully colorful Rainbow Cupcakes featuring soft baked cupcakes filled with sprinkles and topped with creamy buttercream frosting and vibrant rainbow candy decorations. Perfect for parties or festive occasions, these cupcakes combine a classic vanilla base with a fun surprise inside and cheerful, candy-topped frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 12-24 baked cupcakes (vanilla or preferred flavor)
- 2 packages rainbow candy Airhead Xtremes
- About 1 teaspoon sprinkles (for filling)
Frosting
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Small sprinkles (optional, for decoration)
Instructions
- Prepare Cupcakes: Bake your cupcakes according to your favorite recipe or use store-bought cupcakes. Once completely cool, use a piping tip or your finger to carefully cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake. Push down the cut-out piece to create a cavity.
- Fill with Sprinkles: Add about 1 teaspoon of sprinkles into the hole inside each cupcake to give a colorful surprise center.
- Make Frosting: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter for 30-60 seconds until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar alternately with milk and vanilla extract, mixing well after each addition. The frosting should be firmer rather than too soft. If it’s too soft, add more powdered sugar to thicken it.
- Frost Cupcakes: Apply a thick layer of frosting on top of each cupcake. The frosting doesn’t need to be as tall as in decorative photos; just enough to support candy placement.
- Decorate with Rainbow Candies: Cut the rainbow candy Airhead Xtremes into 3-inch long pieces. Gently curve each piece into a rainbow shape and place them standing into the frosting on top of cupcakes.
Notes
- If you plan to pipe frosting in thick layers as shown in photos, this recipe will frost about 12 cupcakes. For thinner frosting layers, it can cover up to 24 cupcakes.
- The firmness of the frosting largely depends on the temperature of the butter; if too warm, the frosting may be too soft.
- Use small sprinkles inside cupcakes and optionally on top for extra color and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
