2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons multicolored sprinkles
frosting
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour or line 16-18 wells* in a cupcake pan. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and milk beat well. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until the batter is light and fluffy. Fold in sprinkles.
Fill each well 2/3 of the way filled. Bake approximately 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the middle cupcake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Frost with desired frosting. I used cream cheese frosting that I tinted orange.
*Alternately make 12 regular sized cupcakes PLUS 9-12 mini cupcakes.
My thoughts:
There is a certain brand of cake mix that releases a limited edition mix at every holiday that includes seasonally colored sprinkles to mix into the batter. Now I am not a cake mix person at all but every holiday I am a little tempted to pick a box up. I can’t resist things in seasonal colors or limited editions. It is a sickness, really. Rather than give in and totally lose any cake making cred I might have, I decided that this year I would make my own homemade version. It really is quite a simple cake and frankly just about as quick to mix together as the mix.
While it seems almost too simple-a white cake with sprinkles stirred in-it seems special once you take a bite and see the colors inside. The baking softens the sprinkles so they are just bursts of color in the vanilla cake, not crunchy at all. I choose orange and black sprinkles because Halloween is this week but since the cake is so light colored any color sprinkle contrasts nicely. The cake has a good crumb and a great vanilla flavor that pairs well with almost any flavor frosting. Anyway, it is a fun festive cake that never fails to please and is infinitely tastier than what you could get out of a box.
Note: make sure that you use sprinkles (also known as jimmies or hundreds and thousands) and not tiny round nonpareils or the colors will not show up very well in the final product.
So cute.
🙂
Adorable! And good thing you did not reach for a box as we’d have staged an intervention!
Awesome! I am always tempted by the confetti cake mixes for the exact same reasons. But, I am also always tempted by cake decorating tools. I think you’ve got me inspired to make cupcakes this week using my goodies!
Cute idea! Thanks for the recipe. I hate boxed cake mixes but agree that the confetti cake is tempting. These will be perfect this weekend.
I love all things festive as well, especially when they’re colorful. But baking cupcakes at home from scratch is so much more fun :P. Your cupcakes are adorable.
I’m a sucker for holiday mixes and the girls and I always end up taking some home with us. To their credit, they like making them and taking them to their friends. They say homemade is still better 🙂
I don’t know why we didn’t think of just adding the holiday colors to made from scratch recipes like you did. I love the looks of your cupcake and not a whole gob of frosting on top.
How much would this make as a sheet cake? I need to make a cake in the shape of a number 5. Could I do a bundt and another two (small) loaves, or would I need to double it?
Robin-I can’t imagine it would be enough to make a bundt but I think it would be enough to make a standard sheet cake. I’ve only ever made it as cupcakes.
How adorable! Alexis and I are going to do something Haloweeny on Thursday, but I haven’t figured out what yet.
Another winner! And I think I’ve mentioned before, but you’ve got great food photography. I’m in search for a new camera. What kind do you use?
That ghost looks like the marshmellowy guy from GhostBusters. I heart him.
🙂
What fun! Thanks.
My favorite cake mix when I was little was funfetti! Your confetti halloween cupcakes are awesome! Thanks for entering the Halloween Cupcake Contest!
Clara @ iheartcuppycakes!
That bat in the background is ADORABLE. I have lots of Halloween sprinkles that I’ve been hoarding – I need to use them on something soon!
I’m not totally anti-cake mix. (I learned to cook using some of those things when I was a kid!) But I agree that I’d rather make a cake from scratch these days!
Thanks Jeni-I have a Canon Rebel.
these are great! i think i’m going to combine a few of your recipes for halloween…ill let you know when i post :]
They are simply adorable! Thanks for the timely inspiration 🙂
Those are gorgeous!!
Thanks. I think I’ll double it then just to be sure – I can always make extra cupcakes :).
I think I need to give this a try. My boyfriend’s favorite cake is that funfetti stuff, which is entirely too sweet and mix-tasting for my liking. LOL
Wow, beautiful cupcakes… from sweet things I made only bloody finger cookies this year…
Enjoy your weekend, Margot
Love the idea of adding sprinkles to the inside. I have included them in our 25 Horrible Hairy Halloween Cupcake Idea post at Party Cupcake Ideas.
partycupcakeideas.com/25-horrible-hairy-halloween-cupcakes/