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–+ servings
Easter Cupcakes with pastel-colored frosting and sprinkles are arranged in a box alongside decorated pastel Easter eggs.

Easter Cupcakes

Mandy Applegate
Easter Cupcakes are my go-to spring bake when I want something festive, show-stopping, and absolutely delicious that always gets the biggest reaction at the dessert table. Each cupcake is soft and fluffy with a tender vanilla crumb and topped with a gorgeous swirl of pastel buttercream in soft pink, mint green, and cream. The buttercream is airy, fluffy, and beautifully piped, then finished with colorful rainbow sprinkles on top. I make them for Easter Sunday, spring birthday parties, and bake sales because they look like they came from a real bakery and never last long. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 15
Calories 370 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

Cupcakes:

  • 1½ cups cake flour (+ 2 tablespoons) fluffed, spooned, and leveled
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup butter melted
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Buttercream Frosting:

  • 1¼ cups unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 2½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tablespoons milk or cream if needed
  • Food coloring light pink, blue, yellow

Decorations:

  • Sprinkles

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and place a rack in the center. Line muffin pans with 15 paper liners.
  • In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to evenly combine.
    1½ cups cake flour (+ 2 tablespoons), ¾ cup granulated sugar, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
    2 large eggs, ¾ cup whole milk, ½ cup butter, 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix — a few small lumps are fine.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
  • Bake for about 18 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting:

  • In a large bowl (or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment), beat the softened butter for about 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
    1¼ cups unsalted butter
  • With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until combined. The mixture may look slightly thick or clumpy at first.
    2½ cups powdered sugar
  • Add the vanilla extract and increase the speed to medium. Beat for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the buttercream becomes light and fluffy.
  • Add milk or cream, a little at a time, only if needed to reach your desired consistency.
    2–3 tablespoons milk or cream
  • Divide the frosting into separate bowls and tint with pastel food colors.
    Food coloring

Decorate:

  • For a fun Easter look, spoon alternating colors of buttercream into a piping bag to create a soft rainbow swirl effect. Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and finish with sprinkles.
    Sprinkles

Video

Notes

Here are a few things I've learned from making these that'll help yours turn out perfectly every time.
  • Spoon and level your flour: Cake flour can compact easily in the bag, so always fluff it first, then spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly from the bag packs in too much flour and can make your cupcakes dense.
  • Don't overmix the batter: Once the wet and dry ingredients come together, stop mixing. A few lumps in the batter are completely fine and will bake out. Overmixing develops gluten and leads to tough, dense cupcakes.
  • Cool completely before frosting: Even slightly warm cupcakes will cause buttercream to slide right off. Give them plenty of time on the wire rack, or pop them in the fridge for 15 minutes to speed things up if you're in a hurry.
  • Beat the butter first: Don't skip beating the softened butter on its own for about 1 minute before adding the powdered sugar. It creates an airier base, making the finished buttercream noticeably lighter and fluffier.
  • Use gel food coloring: Liquid food coloring can thin out your buttercream and make pastel shades harder to control. Gel coloring gives you vivid, true pastels with just a tiny amount and won't change the consistency of your frosting.
  • Flash-freeze for gifting: If you're packaging cupcakes as gifts or making them ahead, pop the frosted cupcakes into the freezer uncovered for about 30 minutes until the buttercream firms up. Then transfer to a container without the frosting smudging or sticking.

Nutrition

Calories: 370kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 3gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 185mgPotassium: 50mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 717IUCalcium: 53mgIron: 0.3mg
Keyword Easter Cupcakes
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