What screams summer more than rainbow sherbet? These rainbow sherbet cupcakes take all the fruity, nostalgic energy of the classic ice cream—strawberry, orange, and lime—and swirl it into a soft, colorful cupcake.
Each one is topped with a creamy Swiss meringue buttercream to mimic that smooth, sherbet-y texture. Bright, bold, and seriously fun to make… they’re basically summer in cupcake form.
Table of Contents
Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. Use a stand mixer for ease! Combine all the dry ingredients, then mix in the butter on low speed until it looks sandy.
Step 2: Whisk together the wet ingredients. In a large bowl with a spout, whisk together all of the wet ingredients.
Step 3: Mix the cupcake batter. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the bowl and mix on low speed until the flour is moistened. Then mix in the rest until smooth and combined.
Step 4: Bake the cupcakes. Scoop the cupcake batter into the lined cupcake pan. Each liner should be half full. Do not overfill them!
Step 5: Color the Swiss meringue buttercream. Separate the buttercream into three bowls, coloring them pale green, pale orange, and pale pink. Fill three separate piping bags with each color, then put them all inside one large bag with an open star tip.
Step 6: Decorate the cupcakes. Pipe the buttercream on top of each cooled cupcake, decorate with sprinkles, and enjoy!
More Bakery Style Cupcakes
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Rainbow Sherbet Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
- 3/4 teaspoon orange extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Lime extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Swiss Meringue Frosting
- 4-5 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups unsalted butter, cool room temperature & cut into tablespoon pieces
- 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
- 1/4 teaspoon lime extract
- pinch of fine sea salt
- Americolor Gel food coloring, pink, orange, and green
- Sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes
- Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners and preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. This recipe makes about 15 cupcakes- you will need to use two pans or bake the last cupcakes after the first batch.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer.1 1/2 cups (180 g) cake flour, 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (180 g) granulated sugar, 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, sour cream, eggs, strawberry extract, lime extract, and orange extract.1/2 cup (120 g) whole milk, 1/4 cup (50 g) vegetable oil, 1/4 cup (56 g) sour cream, 2 (100 g) large eggs, 1 teaspoon strawberry extract, 3/4 teaspoon orange extract, 1/2 teaspoon Lime extract
- Mix the butter into the dry ingredients on low speed until crumbly, about 2-3 minutes.4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter
- Pour half of the whisked wet ingredients into the bowl and mix on low speed until the flour is moistened. Then scrape down the bowl.
- Mix in the remaining wet ingredients and mix until smooth and combined.
- Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners so that each one is 1/2 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops bounce back when touched. Let the pan cool on a wire rack.
Make the Buttercream
- In a large bowl over a double boiler with simmering water, whisk together the egg whites and sugar. Cook until the sugar is dissolved and a thermometer reads 165°F.4-5 (155 g) large egg whites, 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- Pour the meringue into a stand mixing bowl with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until the meringue cools to roughly 90-95°F, about 10-15 minutes.
- Switch to the paddle attachment, turn the speed down to low, and mix in the butter 1-2 tablespoons at a time. When all of the butter is combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until it looks light and fluffy. Finally, mix in the extracts and salt.2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon strawberry extract, 1/2 teaspoon orange extract, pinch of fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon lime extract
Assemble
- Split the buttercream into 3 bowls. Color each one pastel green, pastel pink, and pastel orange. Fill a piping bag with each color, then place all of them into one large piping bag fitted with an open star tip. Frost the top of each cupcake, then decorate with sprinkles.Americolor Gel food coloring, Sprinkles
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
