Confetti Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing

June 15, 2009  •  Desserts,

I taught a dessert party cooking class for a group of kids today – always a blast for me! I had fully intended to photograph these yummy little cupcakes before they made their way out of my kitchen, but I didn’t have a chance with all of the “chaos” in the kitchen. I’ll add a photo later in the week if I have a chance, but in the meantime I wanted to share this recipe.

Confetti Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing
Yields 24 Cupcakes

You can omit the confetti in these and just make plain white cupcakes if desired, or add a couple of tablespoons of cocoa to make chocolate cupcakes.

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
2 jars candy confetti sprinkles (Cake Mate)
Buttercream icing (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the butter and then the vanilla. With mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients, then add all the milk, and follow with the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir in the confetti sprinkles, but don’t over mix the batter. Fill each liner with about 1/3 cup of batter. Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes slightly, then remove from the tin and cool completely on a rack. When cupcakes are cool, frost with desired flavor frosting and decorate if desired.

Buttercream Icing

I’ve always loved icing or frosting, but this one “takes the cake”!

1/2 pound butter, lightly salted
1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add the sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and continue beating until the icing is smooth and light.