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Colorful Funfetti Cupcakes are packed with sweet vanilla flavor and pretty rainbow sprinkles! Easily made gluten free, they’re topped with vanilla or chocolate frosting and finished with more sprinkles to make them extra fun and festive!
Why You’ll Love This Gluten Free Funfetti Cupcakes Recipe
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Moderate
These pretty cupcakes are, well, fun! My kids aren’t gluten free like me, but I don’t want to miss out on celebrating any special occasion with them. So I have to make family-friendly treats I can enjoy that pass their test too. I love serving these gluten free cupcakes at birthday parties or whenever we want a colorful sweet treat. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:
- Perfect for birthdays. Funfetti cupcakes or cake instantly turns a birthday party into a memorable occasion – they always induce smiles. Kids get so excited when they bite into a cupcake and discover the color inside. And grown-ups love them, too!
- Gluten Free. Funfetti cupcakes are easily adapted to being gluten free when you swap gluten-free flour for the all-purpose in traditional recipes, and follow a few simple steps that I detail clearly.
- Colorful and fun. Sprinkles make everything better and colorful desserts are some of my favorites to make – like my Lucky Charms cupcakes! These funfetti cupcakes are cute, festive, and always well-received.
What Flavor Is Funfetti?
Funfetti’s strongest flavor is vanilla, and these cupcakes are characterized by the addition of rainbow sprinkles in the batter. The sprinkles don’t add flavor but are there for color and interest. You’ll top the cupcakes with more sprinkles for even more color. Funfetti is essentially a white cake, and these cupcakes are similar to many other cupcake varieties in that they are sweet, buttery, and rich.
Recipe Ingredients
I’ve included an overview of the ingredients needed to make this funfetti cupcakes recipe. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Gluten Free Flour: Use a 1-to-1 flour such as Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
- Leavening agents: Baking soda and baking powder.
- Salt
- Butter: Use unsalted butter so that you control the amount of salt and it doesn’t compete with the sweetness of the cupcakes.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs: Use large eggs.
- Milk: I like to use whole milk for added richness.
- Greek Yogurt: You can use full-fat or low-fat yogurt, just make sure that it’s plain yogurt.
- Vanilla Extract: If possible, use a clear vanilla extract for the best color.
- Rainbow Sprinkles: Be sure yours are gluten free. Read my article Are Sprinkles Gluten Free? to ensure you purchase safe brands.
- To Frost: Vanilla frosting, chocolate Frosting, and additional sprinkles for decorating.
How to Make Funfetti Cupcakes
Follow along with the photos below to guide you through making these gluten free funfetti cupcakes. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin.
- Make the dry mix. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream. With a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light.
- Add wet ingredients. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Then blend in the yogurt, milk, and vanilla.
- Finish and rest the batter. Add the dry ingredients, and, with the mixer on low speed, mix until combined. Let the batter rest for 20 minutes.
- Add sprinkles. Now add the sprinkles to the batter. Use a spatula to fold in the sprinkles until just combined.
- Portion and bake. Divide the batter evenly between the lined cups in the tin. Place in the oven and bake until a tester comes out clean.
- Cool. Let cupcakes cool in the pan then transfer them to a wire rack.
- Frost. Use a piping bag to frost the cupcakes, then top them with more sprinkles.
Tips for Success
Funfetti cupcakes are not difficult to make, but there are a few easy steps to follow to make them turn out like my photos.
Use clear vanilla extract. If you can, pick up a bottle of clear vanilla extract. This will help the sprinkles to stand out more against the white background of the cake.
Measure the flour correctly. The best way to measure gluten-free is by weight with a digital scale. Or, you can spoon the flour from the bag into the cup to ensure accuracy.
Rest the batter. Giving the gluten free flour about 20 minutes to fully absorb the liquids will ensure you get tender, not crumbly cupcakes. And it helps to ensure the sprinkles don’t sink to the bottom once you add them.
Don’t overmix the batter. Make sure to gently fold the sprinkles into the batter rather than vigorously stir them in. Overmixing can make the sprinkles break down in the batter and you won’t see the bursts of color when you bite into the cupcakes.
Try different frostings. You can use pre-made frostings, or try one of my easy homemade frostings! I love gluten free funfetti cupcakes topped with vanilla frosting, but you can also use chocolate frosting, cream cheese frosting, or even lemon buttercream for a fun flavor twist.
Cake mix option. If you are short on time and wish to use a cake mix, you can pick up a box of gluten-free white cake mix. Prepare the mix according to the package instructions, then fold in the sprinkles after you’ve assembled the batter.
Proper Storage
Here’s how to store your gluten free funfetti cupcakes:
- Fridge – These cupcakes should be stored in the fridge. Place them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let the cupcakes sit at room temperature for a bit before serving them for the best texture.
- Freezer – To freeze funfetti cupcakes, place them in a freezer-safe, airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost the cupcakes in the fridge before serving.
Funfetti Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free 1-to-1 flour , 164 grams (recommended: Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (half a stick), room temperature
- ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs , room temperature
- ½ cup milk , room temperature
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (recommended: clear vanilla extract for best color)
- ¼ cup rainbow sprinkles
- Vanilla Frosting, Chocolate Frosting, and additional sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a small mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition, then blend in the milk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Let the batter rest for 20 minutes.
- Use a spatula to gently fold in the sprinkles until just combined. Overmixing can turn your batter rainbow colors.
- Divide the batter between the lined muffin cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Did you make this?
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