🌈 Pastel Rainbow Cream Cheese Swirl Cupcakes
🧾 Ingredients (Makes 12 cupcakes)
- 1 ½ cups all‑purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
Cream Cheese Swirl:
- 6 oz cream cheese (softened)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring (pastel pink, blue, yellow, green, purple)
👩🍳 Instructions
- Prep oven & pan
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a 12‑cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Make cupcake batter
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
- Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk until smooth.
- Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners.
- Make cream cheese swirl
- Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Divide mixture into 4–5 small bowls.
- Tint each bowl with a different pastel food color.
- Swirl topping
- Drop small spoonfuls of colored cream cheese mixture on top of each cupcake.
- Use a toothpick to gently swirl colors into a rainbow pattern.
- Bake
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, until cupcakes are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
🍴 Serving & Decoration
- Dust lightly with powdered sugar for a soft finish.
- Top with pastel sprinkles or edible glitter for extra charm.
- Serve at parties, birthdays, or spring celebrations.
🥡 Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months; thaw before serving.
These cupcakes are whimsical, colorful, and creamy — a perfect treat that looks as magical as it tastes.
