When it comes to celebrating, there’s nothing better than doing so with sprinkles. These One-Bowl Funfetti Cupcakes with Funfetti Frosting make getting the party started easier than ever! Fluffy-soft, flavorful, flecked with rainbow hues and topped with a cheesecake-like frosting, these cute and colorful cupcakes are the perfect sweet pick-me-up for days like these.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These Funfetti cupcakes are so fun and whimsical!
- They are made in one bowl in under an hour!
- Make these homemade sprinkle cupcakes for holidays, birthdays, and more.
- They are light, fluffy, soft, and moist.
- Check out this Funfetti Cake or these Red Velvet Cupcakes for another favorite recipe!
How to Make One-Bowl Funfetti Cupcakes
I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make these super-fun rainbow vanilla cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting. They just scream “celebrate!” to me. You can never go wrong with cupcake or a chocolate chip cookie cake!
These cupcakes are:
- Super-soft.
- Majorly fluffy.
- Full of true vanilla flavor.
- Speckled with pretty rainbow sprinkles.
- Topped with a tangy and smooth cream cheese frosting.
- Made in ONE BOWL.
- Done in ONE HOUR.
Making these cupcakes is so easy, you could do it with one hand tied behind your back. Just whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt), then beat in the wet ingredients (eggs, oil, milk and vanilla). Gently fold in the sprinkles, then divide the batter between your paper-lined muffin cups. Bake until golden, let cool and frost! Seriously that simple. The only thing easier is my funfetti cookies.
Why You Should Always Pair Funfetti Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Here’s why this pairing works so ridiculously well: The soft, fluffy but sturdy vanilla cupcake base is sweet yet mild. The cream cheese frosting is tangy and creamy, with notes of fresh lemon. Together, they yield a cupcake that features all the textures, tastes and visual appeal you want in a cupcake.
The cream cheese frosting is as simple to make as the cupcakes: Just beat together butter and cream cheese, then add powdered sugar, milk, lemon juice and lemon zest until a smooth, creamy and slightly fluffy frosting forms. If the frosting is too thick, add a touch more milk; if the frosting is too thin, refrigerate it in the bowl for about a half-hour to 1 hour to let it firm up a bit. Then pipe it or spread it onto your cupcakes, top with more sprinkles and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Cupcakes
As always, let’s cover some pro tips for making these cupcakes extra-celebration-worthy:
- Be sure to use jimmie sprinkles in this recipe — those are the long, rod-like sprinkles that are waxy in texture. Nonpareils or decorating sugars will bleed in the batter, leaving you with a gross-colored cupcake rather than a pretty one with flecks of rainbow hues.
- Once the cupcakes are frosted, store them in the refrigerator. Cream cheese frosting doesn’t hold up too well for prolonged periods of time at room temperature, so after a while, it might weep or start to melt. If you keep the frosting refrigerated, you’ll keep those cupcakes perky until it’s time to celebrate.
- Not a huge fan of cream cheese frosting? Try chocolate frosting from this devil’s food cakee or brave making this Italian Meringue Buttercream instead!
Whether you have a reason to celebrate or just need a little added color and sweetness in your life lately, these cupcakes are your new fun friend (no social distancing required).
Funfetti Cupcakes with Funfetti Frosting
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles, plus more for topping
For the frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- First, make the cupcakes: Heat oven to 350°F. Line 24 standard-size muffin cups (two 12-cup pans) with paper liners.
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until well combined. Add eggs, oil, milk and vanilla; beat with an electric hand mixer or in the stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Use a spatula to gently fold in sprinkles (if you stir them in too much, the colors will start to bleed).
- Divide cupcake batter evenly among paper liners so each cup is about 3/4 full. Bake 15-20 minutes or until cupcakes are baked through with lightly golden, domed tops. Cool cupcakes in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in 2 cups powdered sugar, milk, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth. Beat in just enough of remaining 1 cup powdered sugar until frosting is thick but spreadable. (If the frosting seems too thin to pipe or spread, refrigerate covered for 30 minutes to 1 hour.)
- Pipe or spread frosting on top of cupcakes. Top with more sprinkles, if desired. Store frosted cupcakes in refrigerator up to 2 days.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from The Kitchn.
- *Swap vegetable oil for canola oil, or melted and cooled butter.
- **You can use any alternative milk you like for this recipe, such as oat milk or almond milk.
- ***Be sure to use jimmy sprinkles for this recipe (aka the long, rod-like sprinkles); nonpareils will bleed into the batter.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Can I freeze these cupcakes? Pre-icing, of course. My boys have their birthday a week apart and I don’t want to bake more than I have to!
I thought they tasted really good, but came out super dense, not light and fluffy. I mixed by hand, instead of a mixer, so maybe that’s the reason.
Nicole, I’m sorry they were dense for you! Dense cake tends to be a result of any number of reasons, including overmixing or using expired ingredients, especially baking powder/soda. In any case, I’m glad they still tasted good!
Can I halve this recipe?
Brit, Yes, you sure can! Literally just cut all the ingredients in half. 🙂
Do you think I could make this into a cake? The recipe looks delicious 🙂 Thank you!
Lauren, Yes I think so! My gut says you can divide the batter between two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans, but I’m not sure how long they would bake for. Just keep an eye on them and check the centers with a toothpick.
The last time I attempted to make a funfetti cake (not this recipe) it came out very dense and flat. I was so disappointed I stayed away from making it again for years. My boyfriend’s daughter wanted funfetti cupcakes for her birthday and I found your recipe. I just made them and they look and taste SO GOOD!!! Thank you for such an easy, perfect recipe!