Description
Cotton Candy Cupcakes are whimsical, colorful treats perfect for parties and celebrations. These moist vanilla cupcakes are flavored with cotton candy essence and feature a delightful marbled effect in pink and blue hues. Topped with a fluffy cotton candy frosting and a tuft of real cotton candy, these cupcakes capture the magic of carnival sweets in a fun, easy-to-make dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter
- 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
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- Pink food coloring
- Blue food coloring
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon cotton candy flavoring
Garnish
- Pink and blue cotton candy (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. This ensures your cupcakes bake evenly and don’t stick to the pan.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt throughout the flour.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps give your cupcakes a tender crumb.
- Add Eggs and Flavorings: Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Then mix in the vanilla extract and cotton candy flavoring for that signature carnival taste.
- Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the whole milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the batter.
- Color the Batter: Divide the batter evenly into two bowls. Add pink food coloring to one bowl and blue to the other, mixing each until the color is uniform.
- Fill and Swirl: Alternately spoon pink and blue batter into the cupcake liners. Use a toothpick to gently swirl the colors together to create a marbled effect without over-mixing.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare Frosting: Beat the softened butter until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, heavy cream, and cotton candy flavoring, whipping the mixture until it becomes light, smooth, and spreadable.
- Frost and Garnish: Spread or pipe the frosting onto each cooled cupcake. Just before serving, top each cupcake with a small tuft of pink and blue cotton candy for a playful and visually stunning presentation.
Notes
- Add cotton candy topping immediately before serving to prevent it from melting or dissolving due to moisture.
- Cotton candy flavoring can be found at specialty baking stores or purchased online.
- You can use gel food coloring for more vibrant colors without thinning the batter.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute the butter and milk with plant-based alternatives.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container without topping the cotton candy to keep them fresh.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
