Colorful Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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by Ashley @HowtoHaveitAll on May 10, 2014

colorful cupcakes 2

Cupcakes are extremely versatile, they can be made with just about any ingredient you can think of and decorated just about any way you can think of! My (Ashley’s) daughter turned 6 years old earlier this year and wanted to bring cupcakes to class in celebration of her birthday—but not just any cupcakes—she wanted super colorful cupcakes with pink frosting & sprinkles! So that’s what we set out to do and they turned out really bright & beautiful & were surprisingly simple to make, it only took a few extra steps in the cupcake making process! If you want to make your next batch a little more “colorful” check out the how to here!

cupcake colors

Once you have the cupcake batter mixed up, divide the batter into bowls. However many colors you want to use will determine how many ways you need to divide the batter. For example, if you are planning on three colors, divide the batter into three.

colorful cupcakes

There are several ways to use the colored batter for different cupcake effects! You can layer the colored batter for a rainbow effect. Spoon the batter in randomly for a speckled effect. Or use a butter knife to swirl the colors together! Have fun with your designs!

Color-ific Cupcakes

Decorate the colorful cupcakes with homemade cream cheese frosting! Add sprinkles on top for a special treat! To complete these colorful cupcakes, make sure you checkout my cream cheese frosting recipe!

Colorful Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
 
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Ingredients
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup shortening
  • 1 cup low fat milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 4 egg whites
  • Food coloring (whichever colors you desire)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer; add shortening, milk and vanilla. Attach bowl and flat beater attachment and mix on speed 2 for 1 minute. Scrape bowl with a spatula, then add egg whites and mix on speed 6 for an additional minute. The high speed mixing adds air to the batter to make the cupcakes light and fluffy.
  3. Remove from mixer and divide batter into different bowls (decide how many colors you’d like in order to determine how many dyes and bowls you’ll need), to each bowl of batter add 10-15 drops of dye (1 color per bowl), mix thoroughly (add more dye until the desired color is reached in each bowl).
  4. Line #2 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners or spray with Baker’s Joy and layer in colored batter as desired. If you spread out each color one on top of the other you’ll create a nice rainbow effect, if you spoon them in randomly they create a fun splatter effect of colors throughout the cupcake, or use a butter knife or toothpick to swirl it through the mix to make a colorful marbled effect!
  5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean!
  6. Cool before frosting.
Notes
Start with 10-15 drops of dye to begin and add more until desired color is achieved.

 

Make sure you check out my other easy recipes in my recipe index!

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Ashley @HowtoHaveitAll

Ashley is a happily married stay at home mom to a beautiful little girl and a little boy. Ashley and her husband come from a small town and enjoy the simple pleasures in life, like GREAT FOOD. They love to try out new recipes and experiment in the kitchen together, but also enjoy reading, painting and photography.

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