Description
These Best Cotton Candy Cupcakes are a fun and whimsical treat featuring fluffy white cupcakes layered with pink and blue batter, infused with cotton candy flavoring, and topped with swirled pink and blue buttercream frosting. Finished with sparkling sanding sugar and a fluffy cotton candy topper, these cupcakes are perfect for parties and celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 box white cake mix
- 4 egg whites
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp cotton candy flavoring
- Pink food coloring
- Blue food coloring
Frosting
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 – 1 1/2 tsp cotton candy flavoring
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or milk
- 3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- Pink food coloring
- Blue food coloring
Decoration
- Blue and pink sanding sugar
- Blue and pink cotton candy
- Popsicle sticks
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two muffin tins with 18 paper liners to prepare for baking.
- Prepare Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil, water, and 1 tablespoon of cotton candy flavoring. Mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide the batter evenly into two separate bowls. Add blue food coloring to one bowl and pink food coloring to the other, mixing each until fully incorporated.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Layer the blue and pink batters into the muffin cups without swirling them together, filling each cup about 3/4 full to allow room for rising during baking.
- Bake: Place the muffin tins in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a cupcake; it should come out clean. Remove from oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, cream the softened butter, 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of cotton candy flavoring, and vanilla extract together until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar alternated with heavy cream or milk, continuing to beat until the frosting reaches a light and fluffy consistency. Divide the frosting into two bowls, tint one blue and the other pink using food coloring.
- Pipe Frosting: Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip. Spoon blue frosting down one side and pink frosting down the other side of the bag. Pipe the frosting onto each cooled cupcake in a colorful swirl pattern, creating a beautifully blended pink and blue design on top.
- Decorate: Sprinkle the frosted cupcakes with blue and pink sanding sugar for sparkle. Attach small pieces of cotton candy to popsicle sticks and place one on top of each cupcake as a whimsical garnish.
Notes
- Use a toothpick to check cupcake doneness; if it comes out clean, the cupcakes are done baking.
- Be careful when handling cotton candy, as it can melt quickly when exposed to moisture from the frosting.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute the butter and heavy cream with vegan alternatives.
- Do not swirl the batters together to keep the distinct pink and blue layers visible in the cupcakes.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; cotton candy toppers are best added just before serving to prevent melting.
