Description
These whimsical Cotton Candy Cupcakes are colorful, fun, and perfect for a birthday party or any festive occasion. Featuring swirls of pink and blue batter infused with cotton candy flavor, these moist cupcakes are topped with a matching pink and blue cotton candy frosting swirl and garnished with fluffy cotton candy for a magical finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cotton candy flavoring or extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- Pink and blue gel food coloring
- Cotton candy for garnish (optional)
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1/2 teaspoon cotton candy flavoring
- Pink and blue gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners to ensure easy removal and a clean presentation.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, creating a good base for the cupcakes.
- Add Eggs and Flavors: Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract and cotton candy flavoring to infuse the batter with its signature taste.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture alternately with the whole milk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Stir just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Color the Batter: Divide the batter evenly between two bowls. Tint one bowl pink and the other blue using gel food coloring, mixing until the colors are vibrant and uniform.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Spoon small amounts of each colored batter into the liners, layering pink and blue to create a swirled effect. Use a toothpick gently to swirl the colors together if desired for a marbled look.
- Bake: Place the cupcake tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- Prepare Frosting: Beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then mix in the heavy cream and cotton candy flavoring until smooth and fluffy.
- Color Frosting: Divide the frosting into two bowls and tint one pink and the other blue with gel food coloring.
- Pipe Frosting: Swirl the two colors together in a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes in decorative swirls to complement the cupcake colors.
- Garnish: Just before serving, garnish each cupcake with small tufts of cotton candy to complete the carnival-inspired look and flavor.
Notes
- Add the cotton candy garnish right before serving to prevent it from melting due to the moisture in the frosting or environment.
- If cotton candy flavoring is unavailable, substitute with a combination of vanilla and raspberry extracts for a similar sweet, fruity vibe.
- Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
