Cotton Candy Cupcakes – Colorful Carnival-Inspired Treats

Featured in Irresistible Sweet Treats.

Bring the whimsy of a carnival into your kitchen with these Cotton Candy Cupcakes! These delightful treats are light, fluffy, and bursting with cotton candy flavor. Each cupcake features a swirl of vibrant pink and blue batter and is topped with colorful cotton candy-flavored frosting. They’re perfect for birthdays, parties, or whenever you want to add a bit of magic to your day. Garnish with tufts of cotton candy and sprinkles for an extra festive touch, but be sure to add the cotton candy right before serving to avoid melting.

Clare Greco
Updated on Mon, 20 Jan 2025 15:56:27 GMT
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Cotton Candy Cupcakes are a fun and vibrant dessert that will transport you straight to the carnival! With fluffy pink and blue swirled batter and sweet cotton candy-flavored frosting, these cupcakes are a colorful treat perfect for parties, birthdays, or anytime you want to add a bit of magic to your day.

INGREDIENTS
  • All-purpose flour: 1 ¾ cups, sifted
  • Granulated sugar: 1 cup
  • Butter: ½ cup, softened
  • Milk: ¾ cup, for the cupcake batter
  • Eggs: 2 large
  • Baking powder: 2 ½ tsp, for a light rise
  • Vanilla extract: 1 tsp, for added flavor
  • Salt: ¼ tsp, to balance the sweetness
  • Pink and blue gel food coloring: A few drops each, for swirling the batter
  • Butter: 1 cup, softened, for frosting
  • Powdered sugar: 3 cups, for frosting
  • Cotton candy flavoring: 2 tsp, for a nostalgic taste
  • Milk: 2 tbsp, to adjust the frosting consistency
  • Cotton candy tufts: For garnish
  • Sprinkles: Optional, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Step 2:
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Step 3:
In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
Step 4:
Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk, until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Step 5:
Divide the batter into two bowls. Tint one portion pink and the other blue with gel food coloring. Spoon both batters into the cupcake liners and swirl gently with a toothpick for a marbled effect.
Step 6:
Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Step 7:
To make the frosting, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, cotton candy flavoring, and milk, mixing until smooth. Divide the frosting into two bowls and tint one portion pink and the other blue.
Step 8:
Pipe swirls of pink and blue frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Garnish with cotton candy tufts and sprinkles just before serving.
Serving and Storage Tips
  • Serve the cupcakes fresh with cotton candy tufts on top. Add the cotton candy right before serving to prevent it from melting.
  • Store the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you are not serving them right away, skip the cotton candy until you're ready to serve.
Helpful Notes
  • Make sure not to overmix the batter to keep the cupcakes light and fluffy.
  • Gel food coloring is recommended for bright, vibrant colors without altering the texture of the batter.

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

  • For an even fluffier frosting, beat the butter for an extra minute before adding the sugar. This will create a lighter, airier texture.
Creating the Perfect Swirled Cupcakes

To achieve the perfect swirled effect in your cupcakes, drop alternating spoonfuls of pink and blue batter into each liner, then gently drag a toothpick through the batter to create a marble effect. Be careful not to over-swirl, as you want the colors to remain distinct.

Fun Ways to Customize Cotton Candy Cupcakes

For an extra fun twist, try adding a sprinkle of edible glitter or cotton candy-flavored sprinkles on top of the frosting. You can also experiment with other pastel colors to match your party theme!

FAQs

Can I use regular food coloring?

Yes, but gel food coloring is more concentrated and won't affect the texture of the batter or frosting as much as liquid food coloring.

Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?

Yes! You can bake the cupcakes a day ahead and store them in an airtight container. Frost them and add the cotton candy just before serving.

How can I prevent the cotton candy from melting?

Add the cotton candy tufts just before serving, as they can absorb moisture and melt if left out too long.

Can I make these cupcakes without cotton candy flavoring?

Yes, you can substitute with vanilla extract for a more traditional flavor, though you’ll lose the cotton candy twist.

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Conclusion

Cotton Candy Cupcakes are a whimsical, carnival-inspired treat that will brighten any dessert table. Made with a soft vanilla cupcake base, these cupcakes are swirled with vibrant pink and blue colors and topped with a fluffy cotton candy-flavored frosting. The frosting is divided into two portions, each tinted pink and blue, creating a magical swirl effect when piped onto the cupcakes. Perfect for celebrations, these cupcakes can be garnished with real cotton candy and sprinkles for a fun, colorful presentation. Just remember to add the cotton candy right before serving to keep it from melting.

Cotton Candy Cupcakes

Fluffy, colorful, and sweet, these Cotton Candy Cupcakes are topped with cotton candy-flavored frosting and decorated with vibrant swirls.

Prep Time
20 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Total Time
40 Minutes

Category: Sweet Treats

Difficulty: Easy

Cuisine: American

Yield: 18 Servings (18 cupcakes)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

01 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour.
02 1 cup granulated sugar.
03 ½ cup butter (softened).
04 ¾ cup milk.
05 2 eggs.
06 2 ½ tsp baking powder.
07 1 tsp vanilla extract.
08 ¼ tsp salt.
09 Pink and blue gel food coloring.
10 1 cup butter (softened, for frosting).
11 3 cups powdered sugar (for frosting).
12 2 tsp cotton candy flavoring (for frosting).
13 2 tbsp milk (for frosting).
14 Cotton candy tufts (for garnish).
15 Sprinkles (optional, for garnish).

Instructions

Step 01

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Step 02

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Step 03

In a separate bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.

Step 04

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, and mix until just combined.

Step 05

Divide the batter into two bowls. Tint one portion with pink food coloring and the other with blue.

Step 06

Spoon the pink and blue batters into the cupcake liners, then swirl gently with a toothpick to create a marbled effect.

Step 07

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 08

For the frosting, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, cotton candy flavoring, and milk until smooth. Divide the frosting into two bowls, tint one pink and the other blue.

Step 09

Pipe swirls of pink and blue frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Garnish with cotton candy tufts and sprinkles just before serving.

Notes

  1. To maintain the light texture of the cupcakes, do not overmix the batter.
  2. Add cotton candy garnishes just before serving to prevent them from melting due to moisture.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 300
  • Total Fat: 14 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 45 g
  • Protein: 3 g