These homemade Funfetti-style cupcakes are all about classic birthday-cake vibes: buttery, soft, loaded with rainbow sprinkles, and topped with a lightly tangy vanilla frosting that tastes straight out of a bakery case.
I originally published this recipe way back in 2012—early in my blogging and baking career—and while I’ve developed many new cupcake recipes since then, I wanted to revisit and refresh this one. Not every Funfetti cupcake is meant to be ultra-light and airy. These are rich, plush, and wonderfully nostalgic thanks to melted butter, whole egg, and a simple whisk-together batter.
You may also notice I have another sprinkle cupcake recipe on my site: these confetti cupcakes. That recipe is modeled after bakery-style vanilla cupcakes: extra fluffy and light, made with cake flour, egg whites, and the classic creaming method.
So which one should you make?
- If you’re craving tall, airy bakery-style cupcakes, head to my confetti cupcakes recipe.
- If you want buttery, soft-crumb birthday cupcakes with an easy mixing method and classic sprinkle flavor, this Funfetti-style version is for you.
I finish these homemade Funfetti-style cupcakes with a vanilla buttercream that includes just a touch of cream cheese. It slightly tones down the sweetness and adds that familiar tangy note that pairs perfectly with the rich cupcake underneath.
We all LOVED this frosting!
Ingredients You Need & Why
Each ingredient in these Funfetti-style cupcakes plays an important role in creating their soft, buttery crumb and classic birthday-cake flavor. Here’s what you need and why:
- All-Purpose Flour: This recipe uses all-purpose flour for a slightly sturdier, richer crumb than cake flour.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: The combination provides enough lift while keeping the cupcakes tender and evenly domed. Please note that the recipe used to call for 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and I have increased that to 1 teaspoon for proper lift.
- Salt: A small amount sharpens all the flavors and keeps the cupcakes from tasting flat or overly sweet. Most dessert recipes need salt!
- Melted Butter: Instead of creaming softened butter, this recipe uses melted butter for a simpler mixing method and a distinctly buttery flavor. It also contributes to the moist, plush texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cupcakes and helps create a fine, tender crumb.
- Egg: One whole egg adds structure and richness.
- Sour Cream: Adds moisture and tenderness while giving the cupcakes a slightly denser, velvety crumb—perfect for that classic boxed-cake nostalgia.
- Whole Milk: Thins the batter to the right consistency.
- Vanilla Extract: Provides the warm, bakery-style flavor that makes these cupcakes taste like birthday cake. Feel free to swap in vanilla bean paste.
- Rainbow Sprinkles: The star of the show! Use jimmies or confetti-style sprinkles—not nonpareils, which tend to bleed into the batter.
Today’s batter is super similar to these strawberry shortcake cupcakes and these butterscotch cupcakes.
Easy-As-Box-Mix Batter
You don’t need to pull out the electric mixer for today’s funfetti batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients, then whisk together the melted butter and sugar. Mixture will be gritty. Refrigerate it for 5 minutes to cool down and thicken the melted butter mixture. Then, whisk in the egg, vanilla, and sour cream, followed by the whole milk.
Combine the dry and wet ingredients, and then fold in the sprinkles:
Line your muffin pan with cupcake liners, and fill each 3/4 of the way to the top. This Funfetti-style cupcakes recipe consistently makes 14 cupcakes, so you’ll need a 2nd pan with 2 more liners, or bake in batches if you only have 1 pan.
Do not try to squeeze this batter into just 12 cupcakes; they’ll spill over the sides and you’ll have a rainbow mess.
Best Sprinkles to Use in Funfetti-Style Cupcakes
I’ve been baking sprinkles into cake & cupcake batters for years and have learned exactly which sprinkles work, and which don’t. Happy to share my best advice:
- My top sprinkle tip: Do not use nonpareils (the little balls) in cake and cupcake batter. They will bleed their color as you fold them in, result in a less-than-appetizing-colored cupcake.
- Rainbow sprinkles (aka “jimmies”) sold in the U.S. are intensely colored, but sprinkles sold in other countries may lose their color when baked. “Sugar strands” may be the same shape as jimmies, but they dissolve in the wet batter. For best results, try to use American-style rainbow sprinkles. The pictured cake uses Betty Crocker “Parlor Perfect” rainbow sprinkles. I also really like Canadian-brand Sweetapolita sprinkles.
- Confetti quins (the little discs) are also great to use in a sprinkle birthday cakes & cupcakes. They rarely bleed their color in batter.
- Naturally colored sprinkles are wonderful as decoration, but—depending on the brand—can lose their color in cake batter.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Buttercream
Today’s colorful cupcakes are topped with a vanilla buttercream made with just a touch of cream cheese. It slightly cuts the sweetness and adds that familiar, nostalgic bakery-style flavor.
Love chocolate buttercream? You can definitely make the switch.
Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and cream cheese together until completely smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, a splash of cream, the vanilla, and a pinch of salt, then beat until light, fluffy, and spreadable. I used vanilla bean paste in the pictured frosting.
It’s perfectly pipeable! I used piping tip Ateco #826 here; Wilton 1M is super similar if that is what you have.
Soft, buttery, packed with sprinkles, and topped with that lightly tangy frosting—these cupcakes taste like pure birthday nostalgia!
PrintDescription
Buttery, soft Funfetti-style cupcakes loaded with rainbow sprinkles and topped with a lightly tangy vanilla cream cheese buttercream. These easy homemade birthday cupcakes have classic nostalgic flavor and come together with a simple mixing method—perfect for parties, celebrations, or anytime you need sprinkles.
Cupcakes
Vanilla Cream Cheese Buttercream
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. This recipe yields 14 cupcakes, so line a second muffin pan with 2 cupcake liners, or bake in batches.
- Make the cupcakes: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar together. The mixture will be gritty. Refrigerate for 5 minutes to cool and slightly thicken.
- Whisk in the egg, sour cream, and vanilla extract until combined, then whisk in the milk.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is completely combined. The batter should be creamy and mostly smooth; a few small lumps are OK. Fold in the sprinkles.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners, filling only 3/4 full to avoid spilling over the sides. You should have enough batter for 14 cupcakes.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over-bake.
- Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cupcakes must be completely cooled before decorating.
- Make the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium-high speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream/milk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 full minutes. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if the frosting is too sweet. I always add 1/8 teaspoon. Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, or more cream/milk—a Tablespoon at a time—if frosting is too thick.
- Frost cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles, if using. You can swipe the frosting on with an icing knife or use a piping tip such as Ateco 826 or Wilton 1M.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days and in the refrigerator up to 5. I recommend a cupcake carrier for storing and transporting decorated cupcakes.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can bake the cupcakes 1 day in advance. Keep cupcakes covered tightly at room temperature and frost the day of serving. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before frosting and serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-cup Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls or Mixing Bowl with Pour Spout | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Ateco 826 Piping Tip or Wilton 1M Piping Tip | Cupcake Carrier (for storage)
- Sour Cream & Whole Milk: Sour cream and whole milk are strongly recommended for the best taste and texture. A full-fat plain yogurt would work instead of sour cream, though the cupcakes may not be as light. Same goes with a lower-fat milk (I don’t recommend nonfat). Nondairy milk works in a pinch. You can replace both the whole milk and sour cream with buttermilk (1 cup/240ml) if needed.
- Vanilla: You can use either vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste in the batter and frosting. In the pictured cupcakes, I used extract and in the frosting, I used vanilla bean paste.
- Can I Make This Into a Cake? I recommend my 1-layer sprinkle cake recipe or my confetti (Funfetti) layer cake.
- Can I Use Regular Buttercream Instead of Cream Cheese? Yes, here is my regular vanilla buttercream recipe. You can also swap for chocolate buttercream instead.
- Mini Cupcakes: For around 30 mini cupcakes, bake 12-13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking the BEST cupcakes before you begin.
