Description
These delightful Cotton Candy Cupcakes are a whimsical treat featuring a moist, flavorful white cake infused with cotton candy flavoring and vibrant layers of pink and blue batter. Topped with fluffy, tinted cotton candy frosting and sprinkled with colorful sanding sugar, each cupcake boasts a fun and festive appearance, finished with a cute cotton candy decoration on a popsicle stick. Perfect for parties, celebrations, or just satisfying a sweet tooth with a nostalgic twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 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 to 1 1/2 tsp cotton candy flavoring
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or milk
- 3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- Pink food coloring (for frosting)
- Blue food coloring (for frosting)
Decoration
- Blue and pink sanding sugar
- Blue and pink cotton candy
- Popsicle sticks
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two muffin tins with 18 paper liners to prepare for baking.
- Prepare Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil, water, and cotton candy flavoring. Mix well for about 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and consistent. Divide the batter evenly into two separate bowls.
- Color Batter: Add blue food coloring to one bowl of batter and pink food coloring to the other. Mix each gently until the colors are fully incorporated and vibrant.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Begin layering the colored batters into the lined muffin cups by spooning blue batter first and then layering pink batter on top or vice versa to keep the colors distinct without swirling. Fill each cup about three-quarters full to allow rising space.
- Bake: Place the muffin tins into the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cupcakes are fully cooked. Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter with cotton candy flavoring and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar alternated with the heavy cream or milk, beating until the frosting is light and fluffy. Divide this frosting into two bowls for coloring.
- Color Frosting: Tint one bowl of frosting blue and the other pink using food coloring. Mix until the colors are even and bright.
- Pipe Frosting: Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip. Spoon blue frosting on one side of the bag and pink on the other side. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes in a beautiful two-tone swirl pattern that showcases both colors.
- Decorate: Sprinkle the frosting with blue and pink sanding sugar for sparkle. Take small pieces of blue and pink cotton candy, attach them to the popsicle sticks, and place one in the center of each cupcake as a whimsical topper.
Notes
- Ensure cupcakes are fully cooled before frosting to prevent melting.
- Be cautious not to overmix the batter to keep cupcakes tender.
- Use cotton candy flavoring available at specialty baking stores or online for authentic taste.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute heavy cream with non-dairy milk.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; avoid refrigeration as it may dry them out.
