Rainbow cupcakes with colorful layered sponge, light mascarpone frosting, and bright rainbow decorations — perfect for birthdays and kids’ parties.
I made these rainbow cupcakes to create a playful, colorful dessert that still tastes good, not just looks pretty.
They’re built with simple ingredients, clean layers, and a light frosting that doesn’t overpower the cake.with rainbow sprinkles and candy belts for the perfect birthday cupcakes.
These rainbow cupcakes are especially popular for kids’ birthday parties, baby showers, and colorful celebrations.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Bright rainbow layers that stay clean and vibrant after baking
- Light mascarpone frosting that balances the sweetness
- Perfect for birthdays and parties, easy to decorate and fun to serve
Ingredients you need
- Flour: Cake flour for a soft, light crumb.
- Baking powder: Helps the cupcakes rise evenly.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar for the batter, powdered sugar for the frosting.
- Eggs: Large eggs, at room temperature.
- Butter: Unsalted, softened or melted and cooled.
- Vanilla & salt: Pure vanilla extract and a pinch of fine salt.
- Buttermilk: Keeps the cupcakes moist and tender.
- Mascarpone: Full-fat and cold, for a light and stable frosting.
- Rainbow decoration: gel food coloring, sprinkles, and candy belts for a festive finish.
Tips before you start
- Use gel food coloring – it gives bright, vibrant colors without thinning the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly – weighing each portion helps keep the rainbow layers neat.
- Don’t overfill the liners – stop at ¾ full to avoid overflow during baking.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting, or the mascarpone cream will melt.
- Decorate just before serving to keep the rainbow candy and sprinkles fresh and colorful.
How to make rainbow cupcakes
This recipe starts with my classic vanilla cupcake base, which I use for most birthday and celebration cupcakes.
Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and creamy.
Add the egg whites and vanilla gradually, whisking well after each addition to keep the batter smooth and airy.
Fold in the sifted dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately, mixing just until smooth.
Divide the batter evenly into six bowls, color each portion with gel food coloring, then transfer each color into a piping bag for easy layering.
Layer the colored batters into cupcake liners, filling them about ¾ full.
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15–18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes completely on a wire rack.
Finish the cupcakes with my cinnamon mascarpone frosting for a smooth, creamy topping.
Whip the cold mascarpone, heavy cream, and powdered sugar until thick and stable.
Pipe the frosting on the cooled cupcakes and decorate with rainbow candy belts and sprinkles.
Serving suggestions
These cupcakes are a favorite for kids’ birthday parties, rainbow-themed celebrations, and school events.
- Serve at room temperature for the best texture.
- Perfect for birthdays, kids’ parties, or rainbow-themed celebrations.
- Add the rainbow candy and sprinkles just before serving for the best look.
Storage
- Store frosted rainbow cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe variations
- Chocolate rainbow cupcakes – use a chocolate cupcake base with the same layered colors.
- Mini rainbow cupcakes – bake in mini liners and reduce baking time.
- Rainbow vanilla cupcakes – skip the candy topping and finish with simple sprinkles only.
If you prefer a layered dessert, I also share a Rainbow Cake made with the same colors and mascarpone frosting.
Recipe Questions
Can I use liquid food coloring?
Gel food coloring works best; liquid coloring can thin the batter and dull the colors.
Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes, bake the cupcakes one day ahead and decorate them the next day.
Do rainbow cupcakes need refrigeration?
Yes, the mascarpone frosting requires refrigeration.
Can I freeze rainbow cupcakes?
Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes only, then thaw and decorate before serving.
More Cupcake Recipes
I hope you’ll love this recipe! If you try this recipe, feel free to leave a comment. It always helps. Happy baking!
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Rainbow Cupcakes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
Description
Fun and colorful rainbow cupcakes with a light vanilla base, topped with whipped mascarpone cream and decorated with rainbow candy belts and sprinkles. Perfect for birthdays and parties! (For 12 cupcakes)
Ingredients
Vanilla cupcakes
- 150 g(⅔ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 225 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 150 g egg whites, about 4–5 whites
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) buttermilk
- 255 g (2 cups) cake flour
- 9 g (2 tsp) baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- Gel food coloring: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet
Mascarpone whipped cream
- 250 g (1 cup) mascarpone cheese
- 250 g (1 cup) heavy cream, cold
- 40 g (⅓ cup) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For decoration
-
Rainbow candy belts and colorful sprinkles
Instructions
Cupcake Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar until light and creamy. Add the egg whites one at a time along with the vanilla extract, mixing well after each addition.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add this mixture alternately with the buttermilk: start with a bit of flour, then some buttermilk, and repeat until the cupcake batter is smooth and lump-free.
- Divide the batter evenly into 6 bowls and add gel food coloring to each one (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet). Mix until the colors are bright and even. For easier layering, you can transfer each colored batter into small piping bags and pipe them neatly into the cupcake liners.
- Fill the liners by layering the colors in rainbow order (violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, red).
- Bake for 5 minutes at 350°F (180°C), then reduce the temperature to 320°F (160°C) and continue baking for another 15–18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting and decorating.
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- Whip together the mascarpone, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until the frosting is thick and stable.
Assembly and Decoration
- Pipe the mascarpone whipped cream on top of the cooled cupcakes.
- Decorate with a rainbow candy belt and a few colorful sprinkles.
Notes
Storage: Rainbow cupcakes will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Bring them out about 20 minutes before serving so the mascarpone whipped cream softens to the perfect texture.
Tips:
- Use gel food coloring to get bright, vibrant shades without thinning the cupcake batter.
- Weigh the batter in grams whenever possible for evenly sized cupcakes.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before piping the mascarpone whipped cream.
- Decorate just before serving so the rainbow candy belts and sprinkles stay fresh and colorful.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: cupcakes
- Cuisine: American
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