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These Birthday Cupcakes are the best birthday treat! They are soft vanilla cupcakes with sweet sprinkles all throughout and my favorite chocolate frosting. You can pick any frosting you want but don’t forget the sprinkles!
Birthday Cupcake Recipe
Instead of making a classic birthday cake, why not make your life easier and make birthday cupcakes? This is my perfect vanilla cake recipe full of sprinkles and I used a classic whipped chocolate buttercream frosting – but you can personalize these with your favorite flavor frosting! Whether you make this recipe for a birthday celebration or not, it is still a great choice for the perfect dessert!
Ingredients Needed
- Sugar: This recipe calls for granulated sugar. If you make a frosting to go with the cupcakes, they might call for powdered sugar (or confectioners’ sugar).
- Butter: I used melted unsalted butter. I find that melting the butter makes for a moister cupcake.
- Buttermilk: You can substitute this with any kind of milk (or nondairy milk), or you can make your own buttermilk.
- Sprinkles: Use jimmies sprinkles, not nonpareils. Nonpareils could dissolve while the cupcakes bake.
How to make Birthday Cupcakes
- Add melted butter to a large mixing bowl and mix in sugar with a hand mixer until thick and yellow. Add eggs one at at time then mix in vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Don’t over mix!
- Stir in sprinkles on low speed.
- Divide batter among paper liners in a cupcake tin, filling 2/3 full. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
- Frost cupcakes as desired (chocolate frosting shown piped using a Wilton 1M open star tip in a piping bag). Sprinkle with additional sprinkles.
Expert Tips
- There are so many kinds of frosting to try, here are some options: Vanilla Buttercream, Chocolate Buttercream, Chocolate Ganache, Cream Cheese Frosting, Whipped Cream Frosting, and so many more!
- Use rainbow sprinkles for birthday occasions, but if you want to make these cupcakes for another event or holiday, you can change the color of the sprinkles!
- Use jimmies sprinkles for these treats – they work and taste best!
Storage & Making Ahead
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container. They do not need to be refrigerated but will last longer if they are (about 3-4 days tops). You can also freeze cupcakes after frosting. You can make the cupcakes and frosting 24 hours ahead and store in the refrigerator or up to a month ahead and store in the freezer. Thaw on the counter.
FAQs
This recipe is written specifically for all-purpose flour.
Birthday Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (186g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter , melted
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- ¾ cup (178ml) buttermilk (or combine 3/4 cup milk + 1 teaspoon white vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes)
- ¾ cup (132g) rainbow sprinkles
Frosting Options:
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Peanut Butter Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Add melted butter to a large bowl and mix in sugar with a hand mixer for 30 seconds until thick and yellow. Add eggs one at at time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Don’t over mix!
- Divide batter among liners, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
- Frost cupcakes as desired (chocolate frosting shown piped using a Wilton 1M open star tip). Sprinkle with additional sprinkles.
Recipe Notes
- You can substitute any kind of milk (or nondairy milk) for the buttermilk.
- You can substitute gluten-free 1:1 AP flour
- You can substitute oil or melted vegan butter sticks for a dairy-free cupcake.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature (if it’s very warm, refrigerate but serve at room temp).
- Cupcakes can be frozen with or without frosting
- I recommend using jimmie type sprinkles – the long rod kind
Hi how do I get the recipe for the chocolate frosting?
It’s here: https://www.crazyforcrust.com/chocolate-buttercream-frosting-recipe/
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