Alright, friends! Let's talk cupcakes. My kids have been obsessed with making cupcakes lately and I'm not mad about it. ;) We made these cupcakes with a few extra fun details... hidden sprinkles + twisted unicorn frosting!
A few months back, my friend Carmel launched her Supernatural line of plant-based food color + natural sprinkles. They're stocked in select Whole Foods stores on the East Coast and are also on Amazon!! When I found this out, I knew we had to try them The verdict: nothing short of amazing!
I love how the food colors came as a powder. It was simple enough to mix up (just add water!) but also made it feel like a science experiment for the kiddos! The coolest color packet in the mix is blackberry magic. If you mix it + add lemon juice it turns pink, or if you mix it + add baking soda it turns blue! So much fun!! The sprinkles were a hit, too, and taste delicious. Check them out on Amazon if you're interested! This is not a sponsored post, btw... just sharing what I love!
Now a major part of having a successful cupcake lies in the frosting! Several years back I discovered the simplest, no-fail buttercream frosting recipe from Bakerella. So. good. Most of the time I sub almond extract instead of vanilla, and if you're really getting creative you can try substituting the sugar!
The Best, No-Fail Buttercream Frosting
Credit: Bakerella
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or almond extract
1 lb powdered sugar (approx. 3 3/4 cups)
1-3 teaspoons milk, half and half or cream
Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and extract of choice until smooth.
2. Add powdered sugar gradually, mixing in between additions. (I typically add about 1 cup, mix until incorporated, and then add another cup, etc.)
3. Scrape down the sides. Add in your milk, half and half, or creamer to get the consistency that you're looking for. It doesn't take much, so start with a tiny bit and then add in a little bit more as needed!
4. Add in your favorite food coloring and mix. You'll want to stop and scrape down the sides at least one more time until it's fully incorporated.
Makes enough for a 2 layer cake or approx 18-24 cupcakes.
Tip for hiding sprinkles: If you're wanting to hide some sprinkles inside of your cupcakes, you'll do this before you frost them! Just cut out a little circle in the top using a knife. Then gently pull it out. Fill the hole with sprinkles, replace the cake circle you just took out, and then pipe your frosting on top. Easy peasy.
Tip for creating twisted frosting: To pipe these unicorn cupcakes, I just filled my icing bag with all of the colors I wanted one spoonful at a time. Try not to mix or mash them together as you add them! I love using a large tip when frosting cupcakes. The one I used was this 1M open star piping tip, but I also love the 1A round piping tip. You'll also need a large coupler if you're investing in some larger decorating tips for the first time. Check for sets on Amazon, too! These links are not affiliate links, they're just to help you find what you're looking for.
Alright! I hope that inspires you to whip out your apron and get baking!