Confetti cupcakes that are super light, fluffy, and small batch – perfect for a mini celebration.
This post may contain affiliate links, please read the privacy policy for details. // Recipe updated 07/09/24.
small batch confetti cupcakes
Confetti cupcakes are great for all times, not just for fun events! These cupcakes are *so* light, moist and fluffy, are loaded with confetti sprinkles and are topped with a fluffy vanilla buttercream.
Also, a little fun fact..did you know that the term “funfetti” is trademarked? It might seem obvious to others but that was a fun surprise to come across in my search for confetti sprinkles, hence why these are confetti cupcakes, not funfetti cupcakes.
P.S. if you’re wondering what to do with that extra egg yolk you have left over, you now have the perfect excuse to make these 20 minute chocolate chip cookies. Happy baking! 🙂
why you’ll love these confetti cupcakes:
- Small batch: obviously (because I love small batch treats) – but small batch means these are perfect for any mini celebration
- Super moist & fluffy: sour cream, milk & egg white make these cupcakes ridiculously moist, fluffy, and delicious.
- Whipped buttercream frosting: standard buttercream can be a bit dense and overly-sweet, so we’re lightening this buttercream up with heavy whipping cream.
expert baking tips
Weigh your ingredients:
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
Be careful when mixing the cupcake batter:
It is super important to not over-mix the cupcake batter or you will end up with tough and chewy cupcakes. Using the reverse creaming method makes it more difficult to over-mix the batter, but it’s still good to be aware of how much you are mixing it. Only mix just until all of the ingredients are cohesive.
Use room temperature ingredients:
This is super important for allowing the batter to come together smoothly. You’ll want to take your ingredients out of the fridge about an hour before baking to allow them enough time to come to room temperature.
Keep a close eye on the cupcakes while they bake:
Cakes and cupcakes like to go from under-baked to over-baked super quickly so it is important to keep a close eye on them. I’d recommend that you start checking on the cake around 15 minutes.
A note on oven temperature:
Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature and might not always actually be at the temperature they claim to be at. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.
ingredients and substitutions
confetti cupcakes:
- All purpose flour: gives the cupcakes their structure.
- Baking powder: for helping the cupcakes rise.
- Salt: for balancing and bringing out the sweetness of the batter.
- Unsalted butter: for tenderizing the cupcakes and adding that nice buttery flavor to them. You can substitute salted butter, just be sure to omit the extra salt in the batter.
- Vegetable oil: for tenderizing the cupcakes. If you don’t have vegetable oil on hand, you can use another neutral oil such as canola.
- Granulated sugar: for adding sweetness and for locking in moisture.
- Egg white: for binding the batter together and adding moisture.
- Vanilla extract: for flavor.
- Sour cream & whole milk: for moisture and for making the cupcakes more tender. I recommend full fat for both of these for the best results, but reduced fat options will work here as well.
- Sprinkles: the star of the show in confetti cupcakes!
Whipped buttercream:
- Unsalted butter: the base of the buttercream. You can use salted, just omit the extra salt.
- Salt: for flavor and to balance the sweetness of the buttercream.
- Powdered sugar: gives structure and sweetness to the buttercream.
- Heavy cream: for whipping up the buttercream and making it lighter and fluffier in texture.
- Sprinkles: for garnish.
how to make confetti cupcakes
Here’s a little overview of the process of making small batch confetti cupcakes. You can find the full recipe at the end of this blog post.
- Beat together the dry ingredients and butter until only tiny clumps of butter remain.
- Beat in the wet ingredients and sprinkles.
- Distribute the cupcake batter between six parchment liners and bake the cupcakes.
- Make the whipped buttercream frosting, then frost the cupcakes, top them with more sprinkles, and enjoy!
small batch confetti cupcakes recipe q&a
can I make these into chocolate cupcakes?
If you’re looking for a small batch chocolate cupcake recipe, you’re in luck and can find my small batch chocolate cupcakes here.
can I double this recipe?
Definitely – just double all the ingredients and distribute the batter between 12 cupcake liners. Please be sure to use grams for the best results.
can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Definitely – I would recommend making the cupcakes no more than two days ahead of time. Store the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. I’d recommend waiting to make the buttercream until you want to pipe it on to the cupcakes, to avoid needing to re-whip it.
how to store cupcakes
Like most baked goods, these vanilla cupcakes will definitely taste the best on the day that they are baked. They’ll keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
tools and ingredients
You can find all my favorite tools and ingredients that I use on my Amazon Storefront page, here!
other recipes you might enjoy:
did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see and know your thoughts! please leave a comment and review below, and tag me on instagram @freshbeanbakery. #freshbeanbakery
Small Batch Confetti Cupcakes
Ingredients
Confetti Cupcakes
- 100 g granulated sugar (½ c.)
- 100 g all purpose flour (¾ c. + 1 tbsp.)
- ¾ tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 38 g unsalted butter room temperature, cubed (2 ⅔ tbsp.)
- 32 g vegetable oil (2 ½ tbsp.)
- 1 egg white room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 40 g sour cream room temperature (2 ⅔ tbsp.)
- 55 g whole milk room temperature (¼ c.)
- 2 tbsp. confetti sprinkles
Whipped Vanilla Buttercream
- 141 g unsalted butter room temperature (10 tbsp.)
- ⅛ tsp. salt
- 250 g powdered sugar (2 c.)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 55 g heavy whipping cream room temperature (¼ c.)
Instructions
Confetti Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a muffin tin with 6 parchment liners.
- Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and cubed butter to a medium sized mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the mixture together until the butter has completely combined with the dry ingredients and no large lumps remain.
- Add the oil, egg white, vanilla, sour cream and milk to the flour mixture. Whisk the ingredients together just until a cohesive batter has formed, then fold in the confetti sprinkles.
- Distribute the batter evenly between the six liners. Bake for 15-18 min., or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
Whipped Vanilla Buttercream
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the butter with the salt for 1 minute to remove any lumps.
- Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until all of it has been used.
- Add in the vanilla. With the mixer running, slowly stream in the heavy cream until you have used all of it. Beat for an additional 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature, frost them and top with additional sprinkles. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition facts are only an estimate and may vary based on different brands of ingredients and any substitutions made.
Absolutely love how these turned out. My daughter loved them!
Thank you so much Haley, I’m so happy you and your daughter liked the cupcakes! ☺︎
Hi! I would love to try these, I’ve loved all of your recipes that I’ve tried so far! I am wondering if it’s possible to make this as a small cake, and if so what size pan you’d recommend. Thank you!
Hi Jenessa, thank you so much! You could definitely turn this into a small cake. I’d recommend a 6″ cake pan for this amount of batter – you can also double or triple the recipe and distribute it between 2-3 6″ cake pans for a mini layered cake.
Thank you so much! I doubled the recipe and made it in two 6″ cake pans for my daughter’s birthday — it turned out great and we loved it!
LOVE this recipe.. I added 2tbs Vanilla Greek Yogurt to it. Came out great. Thank you for your hard work scaling it down..🤘
Thank you so much, I’m so happy you liked them! 🙂