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Rainbow Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Two words: rainbow cupcakes. While the festive colors may have been what caught your eye, I guarantee it’s the sugar cookie-esque taste that will grab your taste buds’ attention. Cupcakes that taste like sugar cookies? Yes indeed!
4.80 from 10 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 48 minutes
Servings 18 cupcakes

Ingredients  

For the cupcakes:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • Food coloring (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple)
  • Rainbow sprinkles

For the frosting:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • Equipment: Cupcake wrappers

Instructions 

Make the cupcakes:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cupcake tins with wrappers.
  • In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing between each addition then add the vanilla and mix until combined.
  • Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the stand mixer in three increments each, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating between each addition. Divide the batter into six bowls then dye each with the red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple food coloring.
  • Spoon a portion of the purple batter into each cupcake cup, top it with the blue, then green, yellow, orange and red, careful not to mix any of the layers. (Alternately, transfer each color into sealable plastic bags and pipe the batter into the cups.) Bake the cupcakes for 15 to 18 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and transfer them to a rack to cool completely while you make the frosting.

Make the frosting:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined then add half of the powdered sugar and continue beating until well combined.
  • Add the heavy cream and continue beating and then add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until the frosting is thick and creamy.
  • Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, pipe or spread the frosting onto them then top with rainbow sprinkles and serve.

Notes

  • Use a standard-sized muffin tin. If using a smaller sized muffin tin, bake the cupcakes for less time. If using a larger size, the cupcakes will likely take longer to bake.
  • Be sure to sift the dry ingredients, which helps combine the baking powder and salt into the flour and prevents lumps. If you don’t have a sifter, use a fine mesh sieve and use a spatula to push the ingredients through the mesh.
  • A small cookie scoop can help portion the different colors of batter into the muffin tin. Fill it only part way so you’ll have enough of each color and use a damp  paper towel to wipe it clean between colors. 
  • If the frosting is too thin, add additional sifted powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time, or if it’s too thick, add additional heavy cream 1 teaspoon at a time until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
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