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These confetti cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and filled with rainbow sprinkles in every bite! They’re made from scratch with vanilla and a little almond extract for that classic funfetti flavor, then topped with a big swirl of buttercream and, obviously, MORE sprinkles.
This recipe comes from my homemade funfetti cake, a recipe I’ve made for years, baked hundreds of times, and included in my book Entertaining with Charm. I love having the same cake in cupcake form because they’re so easy for birthdays and parties: no slicing required!
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Why You’ll Love These Confetti Cupcakes
Soft + fluffy: Butter adds flavor while oil helps keep the cupcakes soft and moist.
Classic funfetti flavor: Vanilla plus a little almond extract gives these that nostalgic birthday-cake flavor.
Sprinkles in every bite: Rainbow jimmies bake right into the vanilla batter without disappearing.
Made for celebrating: Birthdays, showers, brunches, school parties, or anytime you need cupcakes with SPRINKLES!
Confetti Cupcake Ingredients
All-purpose flour: You’ll need 2 1/2 cups. No cake flour required.
Baking powder + salt: 1 tablespoon baking powder gives the cupcakes their rise, while 1 teaspoon salt balances the sweetness.
Unsalted butter: 1 cup, room temperature. Butter gives the cupcakes that rich, classic cake flavor.
Granulated sugar: 1 1/2 cups for sweetness and structure.
Egg whites + one whole egg: You’ll need 4 large egg whites and 1 whole egg for this recipe.
Whole milk + vegetable oil: 1 cup whole milk and 1/2 cup vegetable oil help create a soft, moist cupcake.
Vanilla + almond extract: 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon almond extract. I love this combination because it gives the cupcakes that classic birthday-cake flavor.
Rainbow sprinkles: 1/2 cup. Use rainbow jimmies rather than tiny round nonpareils. More on that below!
The Best Sprinkles for Confetti Cupcakes
This actually matters! Rainbow jimmies, the long skinny sprinkles, are my favorite for confetti cupcakes because they hold their color better when they’re folded into the batter.
Natural sprinkles work too, but keep in mind the colors won’t stay as vibrant once baked. They tend to soften into more muted yellow and green tones, so you won’t get quite the same bright confetti pop of color.
How to Make Confetti Cupcakes
1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar: In a stand mixer, beat 1 cup room-temperature unsalted butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs: Add 4 large egg whites, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Then add 1 whole egg and mix until combined.
5. Combine the wet ingredients: In a measuring cup with a spout, combine 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon almond extract.
6. Finish the batter: With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk mixture, mixing just until combined.
7. Add the sprinkles: Gently fold in 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles.
8. Fill: Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full.
9. Bake: Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few soft crumbs.
10. Cool: Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Eden’s Confetti Cupcake Tips
Cream the butter and sugar well: Give them a good 2–3 minutes until they’re light and fluffy.
Don’t overmix: Once you’re alternating the wet and dry ingredients, mix only until everything comes together. Overmixing can give you a tougher cupcake.
Fill them evenly: I like using a large cookie scoop to keep the cupcakes close to the same size so they bake evenly.
Don’t overbake: Start checking around the end of the baking time. The tops should spring back when gently pressed, and a toothpick can have a few soft crumbs but shouldn’t have wet batter.
The Best Frosting for Confetti Cupcakes
I usually top these with my classic buttercream frosting, pipe on a big swirl, and finish with more rainbow sprinkles.
If you want to change them up, my chocolate buttercream is SO good with the vanilla-almond cupcake, or use my silky Swiss meringue buttercream, which is the frosting I love on my funfetti cake.
If you’re looking for more classic cupcake recipes, try my vanilla cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, or these bright lemon cupcakes.
Make Ahead & Storage
You can bake the cupcakes ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
For longer storage, freeze the unfrosted cupcakes tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw before frosting and serving.
If you’ve already frosted them, storage will also depend on which frosting you use, so follow the storage directions for that frosting recipe.
Confetti Cupcake FAQs
Essentially, yes. Both are vanilla cupcakes with colorful sprinkles baked into the batter. Funfetti is the name most people associate with the sprinkle cake made famous by Pillsbury, while confetti cake is the more general name. Either way, we’re talking about vanilla cake + LOTS of rainbow sprinkles!
The type of sprinkle makes a difference. Tiny nonpareils tend to release their color quickly when mixed into cake batter. I use rainbow jimmies for cleaner, brighter confetti throughout the cupcakes.
Use a neutral-flavored vegetable oil. You want the oil to add moisture without competing with the vanilla and almond flavors.
Gently press the top of a cupcake; it should spring back. You can also insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean or with a few soft crumbs, but no wet batter.
Yes, but I would use my homemade funfetti cake recipe, which gives you the pan sizes and baking directions specifically for the cake version.
This recipe makes 16 cupcakes when the liners are filled about 3/4 full.
More Cupcake Recipes
Recipes
Lemon Cupcakes Recipe
Saint Patrick's Day
Lucky Charms Cupcakes with Marshmallow Filling
Cakes & Cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
For another colorful party dessert, my no-bake funfetti cheesecake is one of my favorite birthday recipes!
If you make these confetti cupcakes, leave a star rating and comment below! I’ve been making this sprinkle cake for years, and I love seeing it become part of your birthdays and celebrations too.
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Confetti Cupcakes
Ingredients
Confetti Cupcakes
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter , room temp.
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 whole egg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup colorful sprinkles
Buttercream Frosting Recipe
- 2 cups buttercream frosting , optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with liners.
- Whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Beat 1 cup room-temperature unsalted butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add 4 large egg whites, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in 1 whole egg.
- In a measuring cup, combine 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon almond extract.
- With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Gently fold in 1/2 cup rainbow jimmies.
- Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full.
- Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few soft crumbs.
Video
Notes
- Sprinkles: Use rainbow jimmies for the batter. Tiny nonpareils can bleed and muddy the colors as they’re mixed.
- Don’t overmix: Once you begin adding the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until combined for soft, fluffy cupcakes.
- Filling the liners: Fill each cupcake liner about 3/4 full. I like using a large cookie scoop so they’re evenly sized.
- Doneness: The cupcakes are ready when the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few soft crumbs.
- Storage: Store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw before frosting.
- Frosting: I use my classic buttercream frosting, but chocolate buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream work too.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How many cupcakes does the recipe make?
Can I use this to make a smaller cake? Any alterations? Thank you!
I’d recommend following this recipe for a cake: https://sugarandcharm.com/homemade-funfetti-sheet-cake
Looks delish! What’s the difference between a large egg & a whole egg??
Thanks for the note! We edited it, it’s 4 large egg whites and 1 whole egg 🙂 THANK YOU for catching that!