Get ready to welcome the freshness of spring with our irresistible pastel cupcakes! In this article, we’ll show you how to whip up these adorable treats that are perfect for Easter, birthday parties, baby showers or any occasion that calls for some color!
Picture soft, fluffy cake bursting with the flavors of vanilla and butter, topped with creamy swirls of pastel frosting. Brace yourself for a cupcake cuteness with these springtime treats that are “batter” then the rest. 🙂
You may also like these recipes!
– Pink Sex And The City Cupcakes Recipe (The Carrie Cupcake)
– 101+ Best Easy Cupcake Recipes For Every Occasion
– Easter Lamb Cake Recipe
– 20 Fun and Easy Easter Treats
Love cupcakes?? Goldbelly has a huge selection of delicious CUPCAKES from the best bakeries around the country. There are so many flavors to pick from, you might end up ordering a few!
Ingredient List
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12
For the cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or paste (use the paste to get those tiny vanilla bean specks you see in high-end bakery cakes!)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp milk
Bakery Secret! Try a high-quality vanilla bean paste for a deep, rich flavor and real vanilla bean flecks throughout your cake.
For The Icing:
- 2/3 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tsp vanilla
- Food coloring, as many colors as desired
- Sprinkles, optional
- 1-2 tsp milk, optional
Additional Tools:
You may also like:
– Easy Easter Bunny Cinnamon Rolls
– Easter Candy Treat Jars: A Sweet DIY Gift Idea
– Reese’s Pieces Carrot Treat Bags: Fun Easter Gift Idea
Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F and lining a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a mixing bowl, blend softened butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy.
- Incorporate the eggs and vanilla extract, then gradually add the flour and baking powder. Finally, stir in the milk.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about halfway. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool thoroughly.
- For the frosting, beat the softened butter until it becomes creamy, fluffy, and lighter in color.
- Add in vanilla extract or other flavoring if desired. Then gradually incorporate the powdered sugar, adding a splash of milk if necessary to reach the desired consistency.
- Divide the frosting into smaller bowls – one for each color you plan to make. Tint each bowl of frosting with a drop of food coloring. Start with one drop – it’s easy to add more color, but hard to lighten it back up!
- Transfer the colored frosting into piping bags fitted with a large star decorating tip.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, pipe the colored frosting onto each cupcake in a swirling pattern. If desired, finish by topping with your favorite sprinkles.
Recipe Variations
- Add a pop of flavor with lemon or orange zest.
- Try an extract like almond or other favorite cake flavor.
- Consider folding in diced strawberries or blueberries for a fruity burst.
- Fill the center with lemon curd, fruit preserves or other fillings.
- You can also add food coloring to the batter for even more color.
- Prefer carrot cake? Try this carrot cake cupcake recipe.
Easy Pastel Cupcakes
Capture the essence of springtime with these colorful pastel cupcakes, a must-have treat for your Easter table.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp milk
Frosting Ingredients
- 2/3 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- Food coloring, as many colors as desired
- 1-2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp milk, optional
- Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F and lining a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a mixing bowl, blend softened butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy.
- Incorporate the eggs and vanilla extract, then gradually add the flour and baking powder. Finally, stir in the milk.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about halfway. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool thoroughly.
- For the frosting, beat the softened butter until it becomes creamy, fluffy, and lighter in color.
- Add vanilla extract if desired.
- Gradually incorporate the powdered sugar, adding a splash of milk if necessary to reach the desired consistency.
- Divide the frosting into three bowls and tint each with a drop of food coloring. Start with one drop - you can always add more color but is difficult to lighten if you add too much coloring.
- Transfer the colored frosting into piping bags fitted with large star decorating tips.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, pipe the colored frosting onto each cupcake in a swirling pattern. If desired, finish by topping with your favorite sprinkles.
Notes
For this recipe, you will also need:
Meet Micky Reed, your go-to snack expert and creator of The Three Snackateers—a hub for all the best sweets and treats to make, try, and buy. From whipping up collaborations with industry giants like Ben & Jerry's to being featured on Delish and PopSugar, Micky's delicious adventures are causing a stir in the foodie world. You can find Micky on IG and Pinterest.