Birthday Cupcakes
These birthday cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and made completely from scratch with a classic vanilla cake base and colorful sprinkles. Topped with silky Swiss meringue buttercream, they’re simple, celebratory, and perfect for birthdays, parties, or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Sprinkle Cupcake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons unbleached cake flour *See notes below for measuring*
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla powder
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1/3 cup heavy cream room temperature
- 1/3 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons imitation vanilla for a classic box cake flavor, sub real vanilla if desired
- 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles
Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature & cut into tablespoon pieces
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- Extra sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
For the Cupcake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 325°F(160°C). Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla powder, and salt.
- On low speed, mix in the butter until it has a sandy texture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, sour cream, oil, and vanilla.
- Mix in half of the wet ingredients until the flour is moistened. Then scrape down the bowl. Mix in the remaining wet ingredients and rainbow sprinkles on low speed until just combined, scraping down the bowl once to ensure everything is well combined.
- Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. You will have enough batter to make 15 cupcakes.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out covered in a few moist crumbs.
- Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove them from the pan and allow them to finish cooling on the rack.
For the Buttercream
- In a large bowl over a double boiler with simmering water, whisk together the egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking frequently, until the sugar is dissolved and a thermometer reads 165°F(74°C).
- Pour the meringue into a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until the meringue cools to roughly 90-95°F, about 10-15 minutes.
- Turn the speed down to low and mix in the butter 1-2 tablespoons at a time. Once all the butter is combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. Finally, mix in the vanilla bean paste.
Decorating
- Fit a large piping bag with an open star tip and fill it with the buttercream.
- Pipe the buttercream in swirls on top of each cooled cupcake. Sprinkle with extra sprinkles and enjoy!
Notes
*Measure your dry ingredients properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Never scoop a measuring cup into your flour, as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*
Storage: Keep leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezing: You can freeze the cupcakes, frosted or unfrosted, for 1-2 months. Let them defrost in the fridge overnight before serving.
Vanilla powder: You can find it in stores in the spice aisle or online. I like these brands: Cook's Organic Vanilla Powder, Watkins Organic Vanilla Powder, and Neilson Massey Pure Vanilla Powder.
