Description
Fun, pastel-striped vanilla cupcakes bursting with cotton candy flavor, topped with swirled cotton candy buttercream and a fluffy cotton candy or lollipop garnish.
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups all‑purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3 egg whites
- 1 1/2 tsp cotton candy extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- 3/4 cup salted butter, melted and cooled
- Pink and blue gel food coloring
- ½ cup butter (for frosting)
- ½ cup shortening
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp cotton candy extract (frosting)
- 2–3 Tbsp water or cream
- Cotton candy or cotton candy‑flavored suckers for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C).
- In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder.
- Add egg whites, extract, sour cream, milk; mix until smooth.
- Stir in melted butter until combined.
- Divide batter into two bowls; tint one pink, one blue.
- Fill liners more than halfway, adding a bit of each color in each.
- Bake 18–20 minutes; cool briefly then transfer to a rack.
- For frosting: beat butter + shortening until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar gradually, then extract and water/cream until smooth.
- Divide frosting; tint pink and blue.
- Place pink & blue frostings into separate piping bags, then both into a third bag fitted with a star tip.
- Pipe swirled frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
- Top with cotton candy or suckers just before serving.
- Note: add garnish shortly before serving to prevent melting.
Notes
- Do not add cotton candy garnish until serving—moisture makes it melt quickly.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant pastel hues.
- You can use cotton candy extract in both batter and frosting for extra flavor.
- Swirl two frosting colors by using nested piping bags.