INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
(Makes about 12 -15 Cupcakes)
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Food coloring (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple)
Rainbow sprinkles
Buttercream Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
(Note: You can double this recipe for more frosting, I just don’t like as much frosting)
Equipment:
Cupcake pan, wrappers, and stand mixer
Instructions for the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line cupcake tins with cupcake wrappers, spray some Pam or light oil inside the cupcake wrappers.
In a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the soften butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated, then add the vanilla and mix until combined.
Alternately add the flour, baking powder, salt and milk to the stand mixer - add in increments each, and beating between each addition.
Divide the batter into six bowls then dye each with the red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple food coloring. I had done about 10-12 drops each for a more vibrant color.
Spoon a portion of the purple batter into each cupcake cup, top it with the blue, then green, yellow, orange and red, careful not to mix any of the layers; like the photo below. (Alternately, you could transfer each color into sealable plastic bags and pipe the batter into the cups.)
Bake the cupcakes for 15 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
MAKE THE FROSTING:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined then add the powdered sugar and continue beating until incorporated.
Add the heavy cream and continue beating until the frosting is creamy.
Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, pipe or spread the frosting onto them then top with rainbow sprinkles and serve.
