Vanilla Funfetti Cupcakes

Prep Time: 25 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins | Course: Dessert | Yield: 24 

Delicious vanilla cupcakes with funfetti sprinkles or for a more tart flavor, nerd candies. I decorated these cupcakes to look like an aqua aerobics class in a pool to celebrate aqua fitness and our local lifeguard heroes. Like most heroes, we may not think much about them until we need them. Tell your local lifeguard heros thank you on July 31 or any day (trust me, they love treats). This cupcake recipe is adapted from Sally of Sally Baking Addiction https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/vanilla-sheet-cake/ 

3 cups flour 

1 tsp baking powder 

½ tsp baking soda 

½ tsp salt 

1 cup butter, softened 

1 ½ cups sugar 

1 cup milk

½ cup sour cream

3 eggs 

1 Tbsp vanilla 

1 cup sprinkles or (as I used) nerds candies 

Buttercream: 

4 egg whites

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ cups butter, softened 

1 Tbsp vanilla (or up to ¼ cup flavored liqueur)

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt set to one side preheat the oven to 350°. Place liners in 24 muffin wells. In a stand mixer, mix butter and sugar together, add milk, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla together with a paddle attachment for about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, and sprinkle flour mixture on top along with the nerds or confetti sprinkles.  Mix until just incorporated. Scrape the bowl and fill the lined muffin wells about 3/4 of the way full. bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick tester comes out batter free. My favorite way to test cupcakes is with a Insta-thermometer. The minimum temperature should be 200°. Meanwhile make the buttercream. 

to make the buttercream, whisk egg whites and sugar together over a double boiler ( or a metal bowl over a pot with a couple of inches of water in it) until the sugar has melted and the egg mixture is warm. Whip the egg mixture in a stand mixer on medium-high with the paddle attachment until the eggs lift to stiff peaks when the beater is raised. Slice the butter into tablespoons size pieces and add one at a time until all the butter has been added; whip until smooth and light. Add the vanilla (or other flavored liqueur) and mix until smooth again. 

When cupcakes are cooled, decorate as desired.