Rainbow Cupcakes
Rainbow Cupcakes is a dessert that has layers of rainbow cake with vibrant colors topped with a magical cloud of vanilla frosting and rainbow on top. Because life isn’t always rainbows and skittles BUT some days it can be. The perfect dessert for St. Patrick’s Day or birthday parties.
RAINBOW CUPCAKES
Time heals all things…most things. Today my dad and mother-in-law are both cancer free and realizing that my sister is gone is…well… bearable. I know I will see her again. It’s just that it feels like forever before I will. I am in a much better place.
I have healthy kids, a husband with a job, and right now I think that’s more than anyone could ask for. Life is good.
HOW TO MAKE RAINBOW CUPCAKES
- Make cupcake batter.
- Divide batter into small bowls according to how many different colors you are using usually 5 or 6. 5 colors and it worked out to a little over 1 cup for each color.
- Use food coloring to color batter to desired intensity. Wilton brand gel food coloring have the brightest colors and wont thin your batter. They can be found at Walmart or Michaels.
- To get a layered stripe like I used, you’ll want to put a spoonful of each colored batter in the cupcake liners one at a time. The batter is thick, so it won’t spread on it’s own. A great tip is to set out a little bowl of water where you’re working. Dip your finger in the water and then gently spread the batter out. The water will make it so the batter doesn’t stick to your fingers.
- Another tip is to use a measuring spoon and some water to measure out how many teaspoons/tablespoons are going to fit in your cupcake. Then divide that by how many colors you have so you know how much of each color to use for each cupcake. For my 5 colors, it worked out perfectly with 2 t of each color in each cupcake. So I put in 2 teaspoons of blue in the bottom of each cupcake and spread it out with my finger. Then I put in 2 teaspoons of green on top of that, then yellow, etc.
- Bake them according to the package directions, until a toothpick comes out dry.
- Frost with your favorite frosting. Fancy it up by putting the frosting in a ziplock bag or piping bag. Cut of the corner of the side of the bag and you have an instant frosting decorating bag.
- For the frosting: In a large bowl, add butter and powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the coconut extract (if using), vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix until combined.
- Gradually add milk (you may not need all of it) and beat for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
- Frost the top of the cupcakes. Add rainbow sprinkles if desired.
The first time I made these were for my son’s birthday party. I’ve since made this rainbow cupcake recipe many times.
DOUBLE RAINBOW CUPCAKES
Reserve about 1/3 cup of white frosting and dye the rest blue. Frost cupcakes. Place white frosting in a resealable bag and pipe clouds on top of the blue frosting. Cut candy rainbow (an Airhead Extremes) in half and place in the clouds. Airhead Extremes can be found at Walmart, Target, or Amazon.
The best part of these cupcakes is the bright colors on the inside when you pull the paper liners down.
FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS
You can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months.
EASY RAINBOW CUPCAKES
You could make a white cake mix according to the directions or make a doctored cake mix with the additions of milk and sour cream make for incredibly moist cupcakes.
Rainbow Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 white cake mix
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Frosting:
- 3 sticks butter, (1 ½ cups, room temperature)
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 5 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract, (or just use all vanilla extract)
- Dash of salt
Instructions
- For the Cupcakes: Combine all ingredients until incorporated (about 30 seconds). Scrape sides of bowl and then beat on med-high speed for 3 minutes.
- Divide batter into separate bowls according to how many colors you are using usually 5 or 6. 5 colors and it worked out to a little over 1 cup for each color.
- Use food coloring to color batter to desired intensity. Wilton brand gel colors have the brightest colors and wont thin your batter. They can be found at Walmart or Michaels.
- To get a layered stripe like I used, you'll want to put a spoonful of each colored batter in the cupcake liners one at a time. The batter is thick, so it won't spread on it's own. A great tip is to set out a little bowl of water where you're working. Dip your finger in the water and then gently spread the batter out. The water will make it so the batter doesn't stick to your fingers.
- Another tip is to use a measuring spoon and some water to measure out how many teaspoons/tablespoons are going to fit in your cupcake. Then divide that by how many colors you have so you know how much of each color to use for each cupcake. For my 5 colors, it worked out perfectly with 2 t of each color in each cupcake. So I put in 2 t of blue in the bottom of each cupcake and spread it out with my finger. Then I put in 2 t of green on top of that, then yellow, etc.
- Bake them according to the package directions, until a toothpick comes out dry.
- Frost with your favorite frosting. Fancy it up by putting the frosting in a ziplock bag. Cut of the corner of the side of the bag and you have an instant frosting decorating bag.
- For the frosting: Add butter and powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the coconut extract, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Gradually add milk (you may not need all of it) and beat for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
- Frost cooled cupcakes. Add rainbow colored sprinkles if desired.
- For Double Rainbow cupcakes: Reserve about 1/3 cup of white frosting and dye the rest blue. Frost cupcakes. Place white frosting in a resealable bag and pipe clouds on top of the blue frosting. Cut an Airhead Extremes in half and place in the clouds.
Notes
If you want a cream cheese frosting, this one is good.
These turned out great! Thank you so much. I plan on making them for my sons birthday and the test run turned out perfect. I need to adjust my colors to hopefully get them more vibrant but yummy tasting. I used the water on fingertip trick to even out the layers and they were pretty even.Â
The cake mix cut down a lot of time and mess.Â
Great! The gel colors are really potent. You should try those?
How can you post a recipe when you use a mix? It ain’t hard to make a basic cake batter from scratch and a recipe for REAL cupcakes would be more useful than the instructions from the box 😛
There’s always one in the crowd who has to complain about using mixes. This recipe is NOT on the box and is used by a lot of bakers for a quality tasting cupcake. If you don’t like it, make it from a different recipe. But, don’t try to ruin it for everyone else. There are bakers groups out there on the internet that are just for sharing using boxed mixes as bases.
This recipe is more about the technique of the rainbow. You can make from scratch if you want. This recipe is actually in Betty Crocker’s cookbook Big Book of Cupcakes written by me with a from scratch cupcake but my readers here prefer a mix.
Christy, I agree. If someone wants to make them from scratch, go for it. Using a mix to make something quick and easy isn’t a “sin” and I’m going to use these tips to make some [hopefully] successful rainbow cupcakes for an upcoming Pride Family Picnic! They look so fun. Thanks.
Perfect!
Christy
My name is Dena Ward, a long time ago maybe 8 or 9 years you use to have monthly giveaways. I was the winner of one of these. I am still the proud owner of an artisan pizza oven. I was trying to figure out something for dinner, and remembered your site, which I have not been on in a couple years. I just wanted to again tell you thank you we enjoy many family times using this oven. Love the rainbow cupcakes, looking forward to making them with my growing granddaughters.Â
Hi, I’m going to attempt to make these but have a question about the ‘1 cup sour cream’ in the Cupcakes ingredients list . The box of white cake mix I’m using (Betty Crocker Super Moist White Cake Mix) does not call for sour cream – is it still OK to add the sour cream or will that change the consistency?
Also – can I sub plain greek yogurt for the sour cream?
Greek yogurt is a fine sub for sour cream.
Yes, the boxes never call for sour cream. This added ingredient makes them very moist!
Oh my goodness we made these for St Patrick’s Day and added some golden coins to the plate. My littles were so in love and thought they were so special to get to eat them! Which obviously they are!Â
So much fun. Thanks! Xo
I bet they look fabulous!
Hey what website did you make your website on! Love you and your redipies xx
I use wordpress!
I’m a beginner, have never made anything like this or even dyed frosting. Would I be too inexperienced to attempt these? Also, I would need to make like 5 batches so it would take a few days. How long do these last in the fridge/freezer? Need them for a party. Thank you!
They last a while! A week at least! They are definitely a lot of busy work but nothing too complicated that you can’t handle.
These were a wonderful baking project! My 6 year old and I had a blast making them. Ours only made 12, but we also made them with 7 colors. Needless to say, they were over flowing in the cupcake pan, haha. I would attach a photo, but there isn’t an option. Thank you for this easy and fun recipe!
Shoot. I wish I could have seen them!
Hi some pictures have five colors and others have six. If I do 6, how does that change the amount of batter per color per cupcake?
It ends up being about .8 cups per color.
hi beautiful story.
I will try these as they are so beautiful and will be a nice project for my daughter and I
Thank you!
My daughter has a bday coming up next week and I found this recipe and we’re going to go by it she’s excited and can’t wait.. Beautiful story I have a great story myself and have come along way in life and have been sober for almost 3 years
Wow. That’s an accomplishment. Thank you and I hope you enjoy.
How many cupcakes does this make.
18
This looks yummy 😋Â
Thank you!