Pink Velvet Cupcakes

Pink Velvet Cupcakes are the bright, rosy colored sweet treats you never knew you needed. These oh-so- tempting, velvety soft cupcakes are topped with a dollop of whipped buttercream frosting and packed with a superb sprinkle surprise. In less than 30 minutes, you’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day the right way; eating these heavenly cupcakes!

Nothing says “I love you” quite like giving someone a Valentine in the shape of a homemade Pink Velvet Funfetti Cupcake. The doctored cake mix batter tastes like it came straight from the cake shop, and the buttercream frosting is so good you could drink it. Forget Cupid, if you need someone to fall in love with you fast before February 14th, just give them these cupcakes and then they’ll keep coming back for more!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Cake Batter Ingredients

• White Cake Mix – While this recipe calls for a cake mix, you won’t be following the package directions. You can use whatever brand of white cake mix you like, but don’t stray from white cake otherwise the pink food coloring won’t show through. If you don’t want to use cake mix, scroll to the “Recipe Tips and Advice” section to see how to make them from scratch.
• Eggs – For this recipe you’ll only need the egg whites. I don’t recommend using the whole egg, he egg whites will make cupcakes nice and fluffy, and keeping the batter bright white will let you get the best pink coloring.
• Flour – Since you’ll be adding more wet ingredients to the batter, you’ll need an extra cup of flour on top of the cake mix.
• Granulated Sugar – The extra cup of flour means you’ll need some extra sugar as well. White granulated sugar is the best option for this recipe.
• Food Coloring – Any brand of pink food coloring will work. When working with pink food coloring, only add a few drops at a time until you get the color you desire. You can use food coloring gel as well, it’s just a bit more pigmented so you won’t need as much as you would with the liquid stuff. You can use as little (light pink) or as much (bright/dark pink) as you’d like. If you would rather use a natural dye, I’m guessing that will work just fine.
• Sour Cream – Adding sour cream to a cake batter makes the final product so soft and moist, I wouldn’t skip out on this ingredient! Don’t worry, you won’t be able to taste it.
• Sprinkles – It’s not a Funfetti recipe without the sprinkles! You can find some fun holiday sprinkles at stores like Michaels, Joanns, or Hobby Lobby in their cake section. Many holiday sections at grocery stores or a Target and Walmart will have some versions as well.

Buttercream Frosting Ingredients

While we are taking a short cut with the cake mix, frosting from scratch is always the way to go. It’s quick and easy to make, and you just can’t beat the flavor. Almost any cake mix can be greatly improved upon just by topping with homemade frosting.

• Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar is the best type of sugar for making a frosting, so I don’t recommend substituting this ingredient.
• Butter – For this frosting recipe you will need unsalted, softened butter.
• Shortening – Shortening works similarly to the butter, except it helps the frosting hold its shape, and adds a lovely light texture. White vegetable shortening will be your best option for this recipe. I know it’s not as desirable as butter, but shortening will give you more of the bakery style frosting that everyone loves. I usually use Crisco sticks.
• Milk – The milk helps break down the powdered sugar. Alternatively, you could use water or a plant-based milk.
• Vanilla – Vanilla extract adds a great depth of flavor to the frosting but you can leave this out if you like, or replace it with a different flavored extract.
• Sprinkles & Candy – This is to decorate the top of the cupcakes. You can use the same sprinkles you put in the batter or different ones. You can also decorate with some fun Valentine’s candy like conversation hearts.

How To Make Pink Velvet Cupcakes

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 325°. Grab a large mixing bowl and add the cake mix as well as the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a hand or stand mixer, gently mix the dry ingredients together on a low setting. You could also whisk it together by hand. 
2. Add the sprinkles to the dry ingredients and gently fold it in together. 
3. Next, slowly add in the water, vegetable oil, egg whites, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Continue to mix it all together until everything is fully combined. 
4. Add the sour cream and 3 drops of pink food coloring to the batter. 
5. Mix everything together until it is fully combined. Feel free to add more or less food coloring as you see fit. 
6. Line a cupcake pan with liners, and spoon the pink velvet batter into each liner. Fill each divet about ⅔ of the way full because the batter will rise. You can add a few extra sprinkles to the tops of each cupcake before placing them in the oven. Set a timer for 22 minutes to let the cupcakes bake while you start on the frosting. 
7. In a large bowl, add the softened butter and shortening. Beat them together using a hand or stand mixer for about 3 minutes until it becomes smooth and creamy. 
8. Add the milk and vanilla extract to the frosting base and combine. Slowly add the powdered sugar to the butter mixture a little bit at a time until you reach the desired frosting consistency. Mix together for 3 more minutes. (You may not use all the powdered sugar depending on your preference.)
9. Check the center of a cupcake with a toothpick to make sure it’s baked all the way through before taking the cupcakes out of the oven. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and let them cool completely. Add the buttercream frosting to a piping bag and frost the fully cooled cupcakes. Top the frosting with extra sprinkles or candy hearts and serve!

Recipe Tips and Advice

Storage – Store the leftover cupcakes in a covered, airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or 3 days in the fridge.

Equipment & Supply Recommendations – Here are some items that will help you make these fun pink velvet cupcakes.

• Cupcake Pan
• Pink Food Coloring
• Valentine Cupcake Liners
• Frosting Piping Bag
• Piping Tips
• Icing Spatulas
• Sprinkles – Pink Hearts, Valentine Sprinkle Mix (super cute!), Valentine Sprinkle Set, Hearts & Nonpareils

Piping tips 2A, 1M, 6B, and 2D will all do a great job at forming that picture perfect icing that looks like it just came from a bakery.

From Scratch Option

So maybe you’re not a fan of cake mix, and would prefer to make it from scratch. Here is a quick rundown of how to make some pink velvet cupcakes without cake mix!

Recipe FAQs

More Fun Recipes

Celebrate Cupcakes! How about a few more cupcake recipes? I knew you wouldn’t say no! Check out some more fan favorite baked goods that won’t disappoint.

• Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes
• Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
• Strawberry Cupcakes
• Funfetti Cupcakes
• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Churro Cupcakes
• Chocolate Cake Mix Cupcakes

From the original post in October 2011 – Each year a dear friend of mine participates in the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure in Phoenix to raise money in the fight against breast cancer. To help her out with her fundraising this year, I thought I would create some sweet treats that she could share to say “thank you” to those who are donating. This recipe is made even sweeter by using Pink Ribbon cupcake liners and Pink Ribbon sprinkles. Check out this amazing set over at Chickabug. What a fabulous asset to those who are fundraising!