Soft vanilla cupcakes made with cake flour, rainbow sprinkles, and fluffy vanilla buttercream. Funfetti joy baked from scratch—no box mix needed.
I wasn’t planning on baking that day. I didn’t have a party or a birthday or a bake sale or anything remotely festive on the calendar. I was just… tired. Emotionally wrung out and spiraling over the dumbest stuff (like why does the fitted sheet never fold right?). So I did what I always do when life feels like it’s glitching—I baked.
Remember it later!
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Remember it later!
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
And not just anything. I went full chaos-mode and made Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes. Not from a box, not with pre-made frosting, but from actual scratch. The kind of scratch that leaves your kitchen looking like a toddler ran a flour-based science experiment. And they were perfect. Not “technically perfect,” but emotionally perfect. Soft, buttery, a little nostalgic, and ridiculously happy looking.
I ate two before they even cooled. No regrets. Just crumbs and healing.
Here’s a quick peek at what’s inside:
Table of content
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes Recipe?
I could pretend this is a recipe for kids’ parties, and it is. But let’s be honest—adults need sprinkles too. These cupcakes are like if Lisa Frank designed dessert. Soft vanilla cake with rainbow explosions inside and a thick cloud of whipped frosting on top. And the best part? No box mix. No weird aftertaste. Just real ingredients and a very good reason to clean your mixer.
You don’t need a degree in baking. You don’t need perfect piping skills. You just need a little time, a little patience, and enough joy left in your soul to sprinkle things like you mean it.
Ingredient Notes:
So you know how some recipes sound fancy but taste flat? This one’s the opposite. It reads like a regular cupcake, but every single ingredient does some behind-the-scenes magic.
-
Cake flour + all-purpose flour: I know, it’s weird to use both. But trust me—it’s the combo that makes these soft and sturdy. Cake flour makes them feel like bakery cupcakes. All-purpose keeps them from turning to fluff-dust.
-
Butter: Use the real thing. Unsalted. Room temp. If it’s too cold, it won’t mix right. If it’s melted, your batter turns greasy and sad.
-
Granulated sugar: Not too much. Just enough to make the vanilla and butter shine.
-
Eggs: Four of them. That’s right—four. It’s part of what makes these cupcakes rich instead of dry little hockey pucks.
-
Whole milk: No almond or oat milk here. You want the real deal for creaminess. (Unless you’re dairy-free. Then… we pivot.)
-
Vanilla extract: A tablespoon might feel like a lot. It’s not. Don’t question it.
-
Sprinkles: Please, for the love of all things cute, don’t use nonpareils (the tiny balls). They melt and leave streaks that look like a sad tie-dye project. Go for jimmies—long, soft, colorful.
How To Make Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes?
Step 1: Preheat and prep.
Set your oven to 350°F and line your pans. You’ll get about 24 cupcakes. Or 20 if you “accidentally” overfill a few because you’re impatient like me.
Step 2: Mix dry stuff.
In a stand mixer bowl, add both flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low for a minute. It’ll look like floury sand, and that’s totally normal.
Step 3: Add the butter like a slow-motion butter bomb.
With the mixer running on low, add butter chunks in a few at a time. When it’s all in, your batter will look like soft beach sand. (This is good, I swear.)
Step 4: Add eggs—one by one.
Crack in an egg, mix. Repeat. Scrape down the bowl. Repeat again. This is where the batter starts to look like something you want to eat with a spoon.
Step 5: Pour in milk + vanilla.
Slow and steady. Once it’s all in, bump the mixer to medium and beat for about 2 minutes. You want it creamy and fluffy, not overmixed. Scrape the bowl if needed. Batter doesn’t stir itself, unfortunately.
Step 6: Sprinkle therapy.
Fold in those sprinkles with a spatula. Don’t beat them in. Just swirl gently until the batter looks like a birthday exploded in the bowl.
Step 7: Fill, bake, chill.
Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full. Bake for 15–20 mins until the tops bounce back and a toothpick comes out clean. Let them sit for 10 minutes, then move to a rack. Try not to eat them yet. I know. It’s hard.
Want To Save This Recipe?
Step 8: Whip the frosting.
Beat the butter for 5 full minutes on medium-high. It should look pale and fluffy. Then add powdered sugar slowly (unless you like dust clouds) and beat again. Add vanilla. Beat more. Taste it. Smile.
Step 9: Frost like you mean it.
Pipe it big or smear it rustic. Doesn’t matter. Add more sprinkles on top. You’re the boss of your own funfetti empire.
Storage Options:
Room temp in an airtight container: 2–3 days max. If it’s hot and your frosting is starting to melt off like a sad snowman, stick them in the fridge. Just bring them back to room temp before eating. You can freeze the cupcakes without frosting. Frost fresh, though—it’s better that way.
Variations and Substitutions:
-
Mini cupcakes? Bake less, around 12 minutes. They’re bite-sized bits of joy.
-
Citrus twist? Add lemon or orange zest to the batter. Unexpected but kind of amazing.
-
Gluten-free? Use a 1:1 flour blend and check that your sprinkles are safe. Some sneak in wheat (rude, right?).
-
No cake flour? Use all-purpose, but sub 2 tbsp per cup for cornstarch. It’s not exactly the same, but hey, close enough.
What to Serve with Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes?
You mean besides happiness?
-
Milk. Cold, whole milk. Classic pairing.
-
Espresso. Cuts the sweetness and makes you feel like an adult.
-
Fruit. Strawberries or raspberries on the side make you feel like you’ve made a balanced choice.
-
Ice cream. Because you can have both. Life’s short.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I make the batter ahead?
Not really. The sprinkles will bleed and the leavening starts doing its thing too early. You can bake the cupcakes and frost the next day though.
Do I have to use cake flour?
I mean… it helps. It’s softer. But you can cheat with cornstarch and all-purpose if you have to. Been there.
Why do my sprinkles sink?
Maybe overmixed? Or too wet of a batter? Try gently folding them and not letting the batter sit too long.
Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes aren’t just dessert—they’re mood management. They’re what I make when I need something to go right. When I want color and joy and something sweet that doesn’t ask much from me. You don’t need to be a perfect baker. You just need a mixer, some butter, and a little bit of chaos energy.
If you try these, tag me or shoot me a message. I wanna know: Did you go heavy on the sprinkles? Did they make you smile? Let’s talk cupcakes.
Remember it later!
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Remember it later!
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Keep the Flavor Coming – Try These:
Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1¾ cups cake flour
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles preferably jimmies
For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- 2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- Additional rainbow sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
Preheat and prepare pans:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
Combine dry ingredients:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cake flour, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt. Mix on low speed for approximately 1 minute until thoroughly combined.
Incorporate butter:
- With the mixer on low speed, add the butter a few cubes at a time, continuing until all butter has been added. Mix until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Add eggs:
- Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary to ensure even mixing.
Add milk and vanilla:
- With the mixer running on low speed, gradually pour in the milk and vanilla extract. Once incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. The batter should be smooth and slightly thick.
Fold in sprinkles:
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the rainbow sprinkles until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Fill and bake:
- Fill each cupcake liner approximately two-thirds full with batter (about ¼ cup). Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Cool:
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Prepare the frosting:
- In a clean stand mixer bowl fitted with the wire whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, pausing to scrape down the bowl once or twice. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once fully incorporated, add the vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy, approximately 2 more minutes.
Decorate:
- Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost as desired. Garnish with additional sprinkles.
Notes
I’m Bitty, owner of nodashofgluten.com, where I share simple, delicious recipes for all tastes, including gluten-free. Check out my “About Me” page for more info!
