These celebration cupcakes really live up to their name of FUNfetti! Moist, tender cupcakes studded with colorful sprinkles are the perfect reason to celebrate.
Whether you call them funfetti or confetti cupcakes, they make ideal birthday treats. Folding rainbow sprinkles into a classic vanilla cupcake batter creates a bright, festive dessert everyone will love.
These cupcakes are easy to make any day of the week—no special occasion required. Celebrate Fridays, Saturdays, or simply treat yourself midweek. After all, it’s someone’s birthday somewhere.
They bake up moist, soft, and tender, and the sprinkles add a fun crunch and colorful flecks throughout the crumb.
What are funfetti cupcakes:
Funfetti cupcakes—also called confetti or rainbow cupcakes—are simply vanilla cupcakes with sprinkles folded into the batter. The sprinkles create colorful speckles and a light crunch in each bite.
You can use any reliable vanilla cake or cupcake base; this version uses a sour cream vanilla batter for extra moistness and tender crumb, with sprinkles added just before baking.
I prefer a sour cream base because it keeps the cupcakes especially soft and flavorful.
Funfetti cupcakes ingredients:
This post includes both the cupcake recipe and a simple vanilla buttercream frosting. You can frost with vanilla buttercream, chocolate buttercream, ganache, or any frosting you prefer.
To make the cupcakes and buttercream you will need:
• Flour, baking powder, & salt — the basic dry ingredients.
• Unsalted butter — for flavor in both batter and frosting.
• Vegetable oil — combined with butter for a moist, tender cupcake.
• Sugar — granulated for the cupcakes, powdered for the buttercream.
• Egg & vanilla — classic flavoring and structure.
• Sour cream — keeps cupcakes extra moist and tender.
• Sprinkles — use rainbow jimmies (long sprinkles) for the best results; they hold color without bleeding.
• Milk or heavy cream — to thin the buttercream to the desired consistency.
The best sprinkles for baking:
For baking, jimmies (the long, rod-shaped sprinkles) are the top choice. They keep their shape and color better than nonpareils, which tend to bleed into the batter and discolor the crumb.
Avoid nonpareils in the batter unless you don’t mind grayish or muted spots in the cupcakes. Reserve nonpareils for decorating the frosting if you like the fine texture they provide.
Use lighter, vibrant jimmies for the brightest effect. Darker colors can sometimes bleed, so fold them in gently and mix as little as possible after adding sprinkles. Also avoid jimmies that include chocolate sprinkles, as they are prone to bleeding.
My reliable nonpareils are used for topping the frosting—because who can resist extra sprinkles?
Choose any color palette you like, but remember that lighter, brighter shades typically give the best visual pop.
How to make funfetti cupcakes:
1. Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
2. Combine wet ingredients. In a large bowl, beat butter, oil, and sugar until mostly smooth. Add the egg, sour cream, and vanilla, and mix until combined.
3. Combine wet and dry. Stir until just incorporated and then fold in the sprinkles. Be careful not to overmix to avoid a tough cupcake or color bleed from the sprinkles.
4. Portion and bake. Fill liners about ¾ full and bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the buttercream:
1. Beat butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
2. Add salt, vanilla, and milk or cream, and beat until light and fluffy. Add more liquid if needed to reach your preferred consistency.
3. Frost the cupcakes, then top with extra sprinkles if desired.
Funfetti cupcakes storage:
Frosted cupcakes stay fresh about 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container. Unfrosted cupcakes will keep 3–4 days at room temperature. Refrigerate (frosted or unfrosted) for up to one week; bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.
If you liked these funfetti cupcakes, try these similar recipes
• Moist chocolate cupcakes • Vanilla cupcakes with sour cream • Classic vanilla cupcakes • Marble cake • Chocolate chip cookie sheet cake
Funfetti Cupcakes Recipe
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- Author: Mimi
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
Description
These celebration cupcakes really live up to their name of FUNfetti—moist, tender cupcakes bursting with sprinkles and color.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 & ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 & ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup rainbow jimmies (long sprinkles)
For the vanilla buttercream frosting:
- ¾ cup (1 & ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- Additional sprinkles for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-count cupcake tin with paper liners.
- Mix dry ingredients: whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Mix wet ingredients: in a large bowl, beat butter, oil, and sugar until mostly smooth. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla and mix to combine.
- Combine: stir wet and dry until just combined, then fold in sprinkles gently. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cupcakes or color bleed.
- Bake: fill liners about ¾ full and bake 15–20 minutes at 350°F, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
- Make buttercream: beat butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Add salt, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk or cream and beat until light and fluffy, adding more liquid as needed.
- Frost and decorate: pipe or spread frosting on cooled cupcakes and top with extra sprinkles if desired. Then celebrate!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
Enjoy!