Colorful Galaxy Cupcakes (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Cupcakes
01 -
375ml (1 1/2 cups) buttermilk
02 -
3 large eggs
03 -
1 teaspoon baking soda
04 -
1/2 teaspoon salt
05 -
430g (2 1/3 cups) plain flour
06 -
2 teaspoons baking powder
07 -
265g (1 1/2 cups) superfine sugar
08 -
2 tablespoons cocoa powder, optional
09 -
2 tablespoons blue gel food dye, optional
10 -
125ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
11 -
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
→ Frosting
12 -
A batch of American or Swiss meringue buttercream
13 -
Blue shade: 2 drops of sky blue dye
14 -
Purple tone: Mix 2 drops pink and 2 drops purple gel dye
15 -
Pink shade: Add 2 drops deep pink gel dye
→ Decorations
16 -
Galaxy-themed edible sprinkles
17 -
Optional edible glitter
18 -
Small silver star sprinkles
# Instructions:
01 -
Switch on your oven to 356°F (180°C) for standard or 320°F (160°C) if using a fan. Set up 20 cupcake wrappers in the pans.
02 -
Toss together your flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa (if using) in a large bowl. Use a low mixer speed or sift everything well manually.
03 -
Blend the eggs, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and optional blue dye in a big jug until they’re combined.
04 -
Pour the wet stuff slowly into the dry mixture while mixing gently. Scrape the bowl a bit, then mix briefly again until smooth in texture.
05 -
Fill each liner halfway with batter and bake for 30 minutes. When gently pressed, the tops should spring back a little. Let them fully cool on a wire rack.
06 -
Once the cupcakes are cool, cut out small centers with a corer or knife. Drop in some star-shaped sprinkles for a fun filling.
07 -
Separate the buttercream into three bowls. Make one purple (mix pink and purple), one pink, and one blue following the color guide. Stir each until it’s consistent.
08 -
Fit a Wilton 6B nozzle onto a piping bag and rest it in a tall cup. Add alternating spoonfuls of all three icing colors until you’ve filled the bag halfway.
09 -
Pipe strips of each frosting color onto plastic wrap, arranging them side by side. Roll the wrap like a log, snip one end, and slip it into a piping bag with a Wilton 6B tip.
10 -
Pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake, moving from the outside in. Add edible glitter and star sprinkles while frosting is still soft.
# Notes:
01 -
For swirling colors in the frosting, the plastic wrap technique gives the prettiest results.
02 -
Adding hidden sprinkles inside is optional but adds a great surprise!
03 -
The blue dye in the batter is not required—it simply adds a galactic touch.