Last Updated on January 27, 2023
If you are looking for a unique and delicious dessert, this amazing cotton candy cupcakes recipe is just for you. The combination of a fluffy cupcake with delicious cotton candy is perfect for anyone with a major sweet tooth.
Whether for a kid’s birthday party or a bake sale, this cupcake recipe will be a hit. They are a perfect treat for anyone who is a fan of cotton candy. This recipe requires no prior baking experience, making it a great recipe to make no matter your skill level.
Cotton Candy Cupcakes: A Delicious Twist on a Classic Dessert
Cotton candy cupcakes are a unique and delicious twist on a classic dessert. They are an indispensable part of each and every occasion, including birthdays and weddings, as well as picnics and all kinds of family gatherings. The fluffy cotton candy frosting on top of a moist cupcake creates a lovely contrast of flavors and textures that will surprise and delight even the most demanding taste buds.
Why are Cotton Candy Cupcakes so popular?
They are very different from traditional cupcakes.
They are delicious and look so cute! The fluffy cotton candy frosting adds a fun, charming, and perhaps most of all, entirely unexpected touch to the classic cupcakes. Pink and blue look great together, but don’t stop there! Maybe even give teal, orange, or purple together a chance! Perhaps, red and green for Christmas? Well, whatever comes to your mind, only the sky is the limit!
They have a pleasing appearance.
We think that people eat first with their eyes and subsequently with their stomachs. What are your thoughts about that? The cotton candy frosting’s vibrant colors and fluffy texture really make these cupcakes a visual and sensory treat.
They have an excellent taste balance.
The moist and fluffy cupcake base perfectly matches the sweet and airy cotton candy frosting, resulting in a delicious and gratifying treat.
They evoke a sense of nostalgia.
Every bite of this wonderful delight takes us back to our childhood. Almost as if we associated it with fairs and carnivals and everything that made us joyful ten + years earlier. (Let’s not lie, much more than just ten years, but it is easier to pretend to be young than to face the facts, right?)
They are versatile.
This Cotton Candy Cupcakes recipe which we will discuss today can be enjoyed year-round, and decorated to match any occasion, from birthdays and weddings to picnics and family gatherings, and anything else that comes to mind.
They are quick and easy to make.
These specific cupcakes are simple to make, you can use a regular cupcake recipe or invent your own, and the frosting can be done by melting cotton candy and then whipping it with butter and powdered sugar.
They are a fantastic way to spend time with the youngest members of the family.
Working on this Cotton Candy Cupcakes recipe is a lot of fun, and even the kids can participate.
They are a pre-eminent crowd pleaser.
This delightful treat will appeal to both children and adults of all ages! Who could say no to a cupcake this gorgeous and yummy?
So, if you are seeking a unique and delicious dessert idea, you should try this Cotton Candy Cupcakes recipe.
Kitchen Concoctions: The Essential List for Crafting Cotton Candy Cupcakes
To make this cotton candy cupcakes recipe from scratch by WV Living Magazine, you will need:
For the Cupcakes
- 3 cups cake flour, sifted
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cotton candy extract or pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
For the Frosting
- 4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 package of cotton candy, store-bought
- Red food coloring
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- Medium mixing bowl
- Muffin tin
- Cupcake liners
- Large mixing bowl
- Wire rack
- Rubber spatula
- Whisk
- Medium saucepan
- Heat-proof bowl
Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Bakeware Standard Muffin and Cupcake Pan
Sugar-Spun Magic: A Step-by-Step Guide to This Cotton Candy Cupcakes Recipe
Step One: Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Muffin Tin
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line the muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Step Two: Cream the Butter and Sugar
With the electric mixer using a paddle attachment, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and continue creaming. Once the mixture is fluffy, add in the cotton candy extract or vanilla extract.
Step Three: Add the Eggs
Once the vanilla has been incorporated into the mixture, add the eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating well after each addition.
Step Four: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined.
Step Five: Add the Dry Ingredients and Milk To the Wet Ingredients
Alternate adding the milk and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix well after each addition, until all the ingredients are combined.
Step Six: Bake the Cupcakes
Pour the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 full. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool on the wire rack.
Step Seven: Make the Frosting
Add water to a medium saucepan and heat to a simmer and add a heat-proof bowl on top, or use a double broiler. Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl, whisking for about three minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved.
Beat the mixture on high with an electric mixer for about 15 minutes, or until cool. Add the butter in one tablespoon at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Next, add the vanilla extract and food coloring to achieve a pink color, mixing until fully incorporated.
Add the cotton candy to the frosting by pinches, carefully mixing until just incorporated. Frost the cooled cupcakes and top them with a pinch of cotton candy.
Servings and Preparation Time
Tips And Tricks To Make Cotton Candy Cupcakes Recipe From Scratch
Replacing the pure vanilla extract in the cupcakes with cotton candy extract will give them a lovely, unique cotton candy flavor. However, if you are unable to find cotton candy extract, you can use the vanilla extract and you will still have a delicious cupcake.
Since the frosting on these cupcakes is egg-based, they should be stored in the fridge. They can be kept in an airtight container for up to five days in the fridge. If desired, let them sit out for 3o minutes to bring them to room temperature before serving.
These cupcakes can also be frozen as well if you want to save time and make them ahead. Carefully wrap them in plastic wrap and then place them in a Ziploc bag. Freeze them for up to six months and let them thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for two hours.
Cotton Candy Cupcakes Recipe: Fairy Floss Fantasia
Equipment
- Muffin tin
- Cupcake liners
- Large mixing bowl
- Wire rack
- Medium saucepan
- Heat-proof bowl
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 3 cups cake flour sifted
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cotton candy extract or pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
For the Frosting
- 4 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 package cotton candy store-bought
- Red food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Muffin Tin - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line the muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar - With the electric mixer using a paddle attachment, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and continue creaming. Once the mixture is fluffy, add in the cotton candy extract or vanilla extract.
- Add the Eggs - Once the vanilla has been incorporated into the mixture, add the eggs. Add the eggs in one at a time, incorporating well after each addition.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients - In a medium bowl, sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Add the Dry Ingredients and Milk Into the Wet Ingredients - Alternate adding the milk and dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix well after each addition, until all the ingredients are combined.
- Bake the Cupcakes - Pour the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 full. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool on the wire rack.
Make the Frosting
- Add water to a medium saucepan and heat to a simmer and add a heat-proof bowl on top, or use a double broiler. Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl, whisking for about three minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved.
- Beat the mixture on high with an electric mixer for about 15 minutes, or until cool. Add the butter in one tablespoon at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Next, add the vanilla extract and food coloring to achieve a pink color, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Add the cotton candy to the frosting by pinches, carefully mixing until just incorporated. Frost the cooled cupcakes and top with a pinch of cotton candy.
Notes
The Perfect Cotton Candy Cupcakes Recipe From Scratch
From birthday parties to baking sales or just to meet a sweet-tooth craving, these cotton candy cupcakes will be a favorite. The combination of moist, fluffy cupcakes with sweet, irresistible cotton candy makes for a mouthwatering dessert. They will be a hit any time you bake them.
Did you enjoy this cotton candy cupcakes recipe? If so, please add your thoughts to the comments down below and share this recipe with your friends and family.
Ever since she was a young girl, Anna has been a lover of desserts. As an adult, she enjoys
baking a variety of desserts from cakes, cookies, brownies, bread, and more from scratch. She
enjoys sharing her passion for baking with others who also have a sweet tooth. From properly
measuring ingredients to making sure they are the correct temperature, Anna knows the
importance small details can make in baking. She wants to share her experience with others in
hopes they can make the most delicious baked goods. When she’s not busy blogging, Anna
enjoys trying new recipes in the kitchen.