GAMEDAY GOODIES

When it comes to sweet treats, I'm usually a chocoholic through & through, but every now & then I'll get a craving for something different. Over the weekend, I couldn't stop thinking about FUNFETTI CAKE, so I just had to whip some up.

Now I'm not above making this fun & whimsical cake from a box mix, but I just happened to have all the ingredients for this homemade version & boy it did not disappoint! It was easy to make & in just about 30 minutes you'll have the most delicious cupcakes.

I debated whether or not I wanted to add chocolate frosting, but in the end I'm so glad I went with this light & fluffy VANILLA BUTTERCREAM. Also super easy to make & truly bakery worthy. I chose to pipe my buttercream with a colorful swirl, but these are just as delicious with the frosting spread on using a knife. This was my first time trying the swirl technique & I was surprised at how simple it was to make such pretty cupcakes. I can't wait to add a red & green version to our Holiday dessert table.

These are super fun & would be a festive addition to your next party. Check out the recipe below!

FUNFETTI CUPCAKES + VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup vanilla greek yogurt

3/4 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles (not nonpareils)

1/2 cup salted butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons milk

Gel food coloring ( I used Americolor Neon Purple & Gold)

FOR THE CUPCAKES (recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction):

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. This recipe should make approximately 18 cupcakes. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar & chill in the fridge for 1 minute. Add the egg, yogurt, milk, & vanilla extract until combined.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, & salt. Slowly add dry ingredients into the wet mixture until no lumps remain. Gently fold in your sprinkles, careful not to overmix, as the colors will bleed.

Scoop the batter into muffin tins, filling a little more than halfway. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for about 2 minutes, then remove the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

FOR THE FROSTING:

With a hand mixer, cream room temperature butter until smooth & fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until well combined. Add vanilla extract & beat for an additional 30 seconds. Pour in milk & beat for an additional 3-4 minutes.

For the swirl effect, I fitted a piping bag with a Wilton 1M tip. Then I used a dry paintbrush to paint gel food coloring onto the inside of the bag. Since I was only using 2 colors, I painted purple down one seam & gold down the opposite seam. Be sure to get deep down into the bag, near the tip. Carefully fill the bag with the frosting (I find placing the upright bag in a cup helps to keep it sturdy). Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes in a circular pattern & voila you'll have colorful swirls! Feel free to try more than 2 colors, just leave a space in-between lines so the colors don't bleed. Get creative with your designs!

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or up to 5 days in the fridge.

Enjoy!