🎡 Cotton Candy Cupcakes 🍬
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
1 box (15.25 oz/432g) white cake mix
1 cup (240ml) sparkling lemon-lime soda
½ cup (120ml) melted coconut oil
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cotton candy flavoring (or substitute with bubblegum or raspberry extract)
Pink and blue food coloring (gel or liquid)
For the Frosting:
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream, cold
2 tbsp (15g) powdered sugar
½ tsp cotton candy flavoring
1 drop pink food coloring
For the Topping:
1-2 bags of cotton candy (pink and blue for a carnival vibe)
Optional: Edible glitter or rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat and Prep
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with colorful cupcake liners.
Step 2: Make the Cupcake Batter
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, sparkling soda, melted coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until the batter is smooth and airy.
Add the cotton candy flavoring and a few drops of pink and blue food coloring. Gently swirl the colors together for a marbled effect (avoid overmixing to keep the swirls vibrant).
Step 3: Bake the Cupcakes
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4: Whip Up the Frosting
In a large bowl, beat the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, cotton candy flavoring, and pink food coloring until stiff peaks form.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (or use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off).
Step 5: Decorate the Cupcakes
Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
Just before serving, top each cupcake with a fluffy tuft of cotton candy. For extra sparkle, sprinkle with edible glitter or rainbow sprinkles.
Step 6: Serve and Enjoy
Serve immediately to enjoy the cotton candy at its fluffiest. These cupcakes are best enjoyed fresh and are guaranteed to transport you to the carnival!