Easy Rainbow Cupcakes

These easy rainbow cupcakes are a wonderful, colorful dessert idea. These fun cupcakes are perfect for a spring gathering or birthday party..

We are all about sharing festive, seasonal dessert ideas and this simple decorative cupcake recipe is sure to please.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

These beautiful cupcakes are versatile and customizable. Made with a box of white cake mix, these are a breeze to make. 

These colorful cupcakes are full of vibrant color and are topped with a creamy vanilla buttercream frosting.

A great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the spring season or a rainbow party. Each cupcake bears the colors of the rainbow and topped with white frosting for a fun surprise. 

These colorful cupcakes are topped with a fun candy rainbow. 

Ingredients For Easy Rainbow Cupcakes 

This recipe only requires a few ingredients.

• boxed cake mix.wḧïẗe or vanilla cake mixes
• vanilla pudding mix
• water
• eggs
• vegetable oil
• Gel food coloring in rainbow colors
• Rainbow Candy for Rainbow Cupcake Toppers

Equipment and Kitchen Tools Needed

• bowls (1 large bowl and 6 small bowls)
• 6 spoons 
• stand mixer or hand mixer
• cupcake pan
• cupcake liners
• wire rack
• piping bag and tip
• gel food coloring ( I prefer gel food colors over liquid coloring because the colors are more vibrant)
• Airhead rainbow candy or sour candy belts

How to Make Rainbow Cupcakes

Step By Step Instructions

1. Make cake mix according to instructions in a bow. Beat on medium speed with spoon or electric mixer. 
2. Split the batter into 6 bowls and make the colors in separate bowls (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue & Purple)
3. Add small dollops of each color to the prepared baking cups.
4. Bake cupcakes for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let cool completely, then frost cupcakes with buttercream frosting once cupcakes have completely cooled.
6. Pipe dots (for the clouds) and then add the candy rainbow to each cupcake.

Pro Tips and Timesaver Shortcuts

• You should be able to get 2-3 rainbows from one strip. Scissors work beat to cut candy.
• If your rainbows won’t stand up the strip is too long and needs to be trimmed.
• If the strip is the perfect size you may need to just add a little bit of frosting to the outside of the rainbow to make it stand

Variations, Notes, and Substitutions

• You can add gold sprinkles or a gold wrapped candy at the end of the rainbow.
• You can make Pastel Rainbow Cupcakes by using small amounts of food coloring.Try with a drop or two.
• You can also skip coloring the batter and just add the clouds and rainbow toppers to frosted cupcakes. You can also add rainbow sprinkles to the inside of the batter.

Serving and Storage Suggestions

•  Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Freezing Tips

You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes in a ziploc bag in the freezer, once they have cooled.

To defrost, simply place in the oven or microwave until at room temperature.

Frosting For Rainbow Cupcakes
¾ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup heavy whipping cream or milk
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a bowl or stand mixer (with a paddle attachment), whip up room temperature butter to the mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Add powdered sugar slowly.
3. Add vanilla and whipping cream or milk.
4. Blend on LOW for about 30 seconds, then whip on HIGH for 4-5 minutess until the buttercream is fluffy and it doubles in volume.

FAQ

Can I make rainbow cupcakes with cream cheese frosting?

Yes, you can and I recommend this easy cream cheese frosting recipe.

Where can I buy Rainbow Cupcakes?

It will cost more, but you can buy rainbow cupcakes too.

This best rainbow cupcake recipe is perfect as an easy dessert recipe.

More Rainbow Dessert ideas

Rainbow Parfaits

Rainbow Donuts

Rainbow Fruit Salad

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📖 Recipe

Easy Rainbow Cupcakes

Raquel Pineira

These beautiful cupcakes are made with rainbow colors and are topped with a candy rainbow.

5 from 26 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24

Calories 51 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  12 ct cupcake pan
• ▢
  Baking cups
• ▢
  Stand Mixer
• ▢
  6 bowls
• ▢
  6 plastic spoons

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• One box wḧïẗe or vanilla cake mix
• One box instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup water
• 3 large eggs
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 6 Gel food coloring in rainbow colors

Frosting

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream or milk
• 3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Airhead rainbow candy or Rainbow strip Candy

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
• Make cake mix batter according to instructions
• Divide batter into 6 bowls
• Make the following colors:
• Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue & Purple
• Add a teaspoon of each color to the baking cups
• Place paper liners in the muffin tin.
• Don’t not swirl the cupcake batter.
• Bake for 13-15 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean
• Let cool completely
• Make buttercream frosting
• The frosting should be slightly stiff but not hurt the hands when squeezing a piping bag
• Cut off the tip and Pipe dots (clouds) and then immediately add the candy rainbow (cut down to
• an appropriate size)
• You should be able to get 2-3 rainbows from one strip.
• Notes

Notes

If your rainbows won’t stand up the strip is too long and needs to be trimmed
If the strip is the perfect size you may need to just add a little bit of frosting to the outside of the
rainbow to make it stand

Nutrition

Calories: 51kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 2mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 177IUCalcium: 2mgIron: 1mg

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