The Best Cotton Candy Cupcakes
These Best Cotton Candy Cupcakes combine the nostalgic sweetness of cotton candy with a soft, fluffy cupcake base, topped with colorful frosting and a playful cotton candy stick.
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 4 egg whites
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp cotton candy flavoring
- Pink and blue food coloring
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 – 1 1/2 tsp cotton candy flavoring
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or milk
- 3 –4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- Blue and pink sanding sugar
- Blue and pink cotton candy
- Popsicle sticks
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two muffin tins with 18 paper liners.
- Prepare Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil, water, and cotton candy flavoring. Mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide the batter evenly into two separate bowls. Add blue food coloring to one bowl and pink to the other, mixing until well incorporated.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Distribute the batter into the muffin cups, layering the blue and pink batters without swirling them together. Fill each cup about 3/4 full.
- Bake: Place the muffin tins in the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely.
- Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, cream together the softened butter, cotton candy flavoring, and vanilla extract. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, alternating with heavy cream, until fluffy. Divide the frosting into two bowls. Tint one blue and the other pink.
- Pipe Frosting: Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip. Spoon the blue frosting down one side and pink on the other. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes in a swirl pattern.
- Decorate: Sprinkle the frosted cupcakes with sanding sugar. Attach small pieces of cotton candy to wet popsicle sticks and place them on top of each cupcake.
Notes
- If you’re using homemade cake mix, adjust the ingredients for the cotton candy flavoring.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a vegan version, substitute egg whites with flaxseed mixture and use non-dairy milk and butter.
- For extra fun, add a surprise filling like jam or cotton candy-flavored cream.
- Add the cotton candy topping just before serving to avoid melting.