🌈 Cotton Candy Cupcakes 🎪
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk (or plant-based alternative)
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup boiling water
Gel food coloring: pink, blue, green, yellow (a few drops each)
For the Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2–3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pink and blue gel food coloring
Edible glitter or rainbow sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
Prep and preheat: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and baking powder. Set aside.
Cream butter and eggs: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat softened butter on medium speed until creamy (about 1 minute). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla.
Alternate wet and dry: With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
Divide and color: Pour the batter evenly into four small bowls. Tint each with a different color: pink, blue, green, and yellow. Use gel-based coloring for vivid, non-diluted hues.
Layer in liners: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of each colored batter into each cupcake liner, alternating colors for a marbled effect. Do not stir—let the colors remain distinct.
Add boiling water: Gently pour 1 teaspoon of boiling water over each filled liner. This helps create a moist, tender crumb and encourages the colors to swirl slightly during baking.
Bake: Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat softened butter until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of cream. Beat until smooth and light. If too thick, add more cream, 1 teaspoon at a time.
Color the frosting: Divide the frosting into two bowls. Tint one half pink and the other half blue.
Pipe the swirl: Fit a piping bag with a large star tip. Fill it alternately with pink and blue frosting (using separate piping bags or a coupler for clean layers). Pipe tall, swirling peaks onto each cooled cupcake.
Garnish: Immediately sprinkle the tops with edible glitter or rainbow sprinkles while the frosting is still soft.
Serve: Best served the same day for optimal texture and color vibrancy. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.