This gorgeous easy rainbow cupcake recipe is perfect for a fun and colourful baking session with the kids!
I was going to write a bright and breezy introduction to these lovely rainbow cupcakes, but it just didn’t feel authentic. It feels so important to me to be real, and honest, and bright and breezy is not where I am at right now. As I wrote earlier this year, I have been struggling with my mental health for some time now, and though I’m doing my best to look for the positives, the current situation feels very difficult to navigate.
In all honesty, I’m not really feeling up to doing a lot of baking with the kids at the moment. I know that they love it though, so I’m trying to do what I can, and these rainbow cupcakes are high on the list for when I can find it within me to get baking again.
As with my mental health struggles, I know that we WILL get through this, the current difficult situation facing us all will come to an end, and the sun will shine again, and in the meantime, we need to look for the rainbows in the rain.
So full disclosure, I didn’t make these rainbow cupcakes recently – I took the photos sometime last year and have been meaning to share the recipe here ever since. Despite the hard times that we are all currently dealing with, there is always room for a ray of hope, and I know that the rainbow has come to represent that for many of us, so this seems like a good time to share them.
The hard times WILL come to an end, and the sun will shine again, so keep on looking for the rainbows in the rain xx
Easy Rainbow Cupcakes
Ingredients (makes 12):
For the cupcakes:
- 175g butter (or dairy free spread)
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 175g self-raising flour
- 2 Tbsp milk (or dairy free alternative)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- selection of different gel food colourings (I used blue, green, yellow and red)
For the buttercream icing:
- 100g softened butter (or dairy free spread)
- 225g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp milk or dairy free equivalent
To decorate:
- rainbow sprinkles
- 12 rainbow cake decorations (optional)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas mark 4/350°F). Line a 12 hole muffin tin with 12 muffin cases.
Place the butter or dairy free spread into a mixing bowl and whisk together with the caster sugar until light and fluffy. Break the eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk with a fork. Add the eggs a little at a time to the butter and sugar mix, whisking in between.
Sift the flour on top, and using an electric whisk on a low speed, gently blend the ingredients together. Add the milk and vanilla extract and blend again. Increase the mixer speed and whisk for a few more seconds until well mixed.
Working quickly, split the cake mixture between as many small bowls as you have colours of food colouring. I used 4 colours; blue, green, yellow and red, so divided my cake mixture into 4.
Add gel food colouring and stir in to colour each of the bowls of cake mix.
Divide the cake mixture between the muffin cups, spooning some of each colour into each cup. Don’t worry about being neat, just dollop it in!
Use a cocktail stick to swirl the colours – not too much or the colours will merge – just a couple of times around the mixture in each muffin case.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until risen and springy to the touch.
Once the cupcakes are cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Whilst the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream icing. Whisk the butter with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar, a little at a time, until completely combined. Add the vanilla extract and whisk again. Add the milk in small splashes until the icing is at the correct consistency for piping.
Once completely cool, pipe a swirl of buttercream on each cupcake.
Decorate generously with rainbow sprinkles.
Finish off with rainbow cake toppers if using.
Serve and enjoy!
Looking for more rainbow recipes? Check out the rainbow food ideas section here on the Eats Amazing blog or follow my Rainbow Food Pinterest board for gorgeous rainbow ideas from all over the web. Or for more cupcakes recipes, head over to my cake & cupcake recipes collection.
Happy baking and don’t stop looking for those rainbows in the rain!
Grace
Easy Rainbow Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 175 g butter or dairy free spread
- 175 g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 175 g self-raising flour
- 2 Tbsp milk or dairy free alternative
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- selection of different gel food colourings I used blue, green, yellow and red
For the buttercream icing:
- 100 g softened butter or dairy free spread
- 225 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp milk or dairy free equivalent
To decorate:
- rainbow sprinkles
- 12 rainbow cake decorations optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas mark 4/350°F). Line a 12 hole muffin tin with 12 muffin cases.
- Place the butter or dairy free spread into a mixing bowl and whisk together with the caster sugar until light and fluffy. Break the eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk with a fork. Add the eggs a little at a time to the butter and sugar mix, whisking in between.
- Sift the flour on top, and using an electric whisk on a low speed, gently blend the ingredients together. Add the milk and vanilla extract and blend again. Increase the mixer speed and whisk for a few more seconds until well mixed.
- Working quickly, split the cake mixture between as many small bowls as you have colours of food colouring. I used 4 colours; blue, green, yellow and red, so divided my cake mixture into 4.
- Add gel food colouring and stir in to colour each of the bowls of cake mix.
- Divide the cake mixture between the muffin cups, spooning some of each colour into each cup. Don't worry about being neat, just dollop it in!
- Use a cocktail stick to blend the colours a little - not too much or the colours will merge - just a couple of times around the mixture in each muffin case.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until risen and springy to the touch.
- Once the cupcakes are cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Whilst the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream icing. Whisk the butter with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar, a little at a time, until completely combined. Add the vanilla extract and whisk again. Add the milk in small splashes until the icing is at the correct consistency for piping.
- Once completely cool, pipe a swirl of buttercream on each cupcake.
- Decorate with rainbow sprinkles and rainbow cake toppers if using.
Love this fun rainbow recipe? Why not save it to Pinterest so you can easily find it again!
Caroline says
These are lovely Grace. I can’t believe they are rainbow coloured inside as well as decorated with rainbows on top! A labour of love! Perfectly timed for lockdown! Big hugs to you and hoping you well xx