These rainbow cupcakes are so fun and easier to make than you might think. Don’t like chocolate cake? Use this vanilla cupcake recipe instead, and decorate with the rainbow buttercream.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced) Line muffin pans with paper cupcake cases.
Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Add sugars and salt; whisk to combine.
Combine eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla in a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk into flour mixture until a thick batter then gradually whisk in hot water until batter is smooth and well combined.
Pour mixture evenly into cupcake cases . Bake for about 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Let cupcakes stand in the pan for 10 minutes then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
FOR THE ICING: place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high for 8-10 minutes, or until pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add icing sugar and vanilla and beat on low to combine.
Divide the icing into three. Add a few drops of pink, blue and yellow colouring to each icing and mix well to combine. Using a large piece of cling wrap, spread each colour in a line along the width of the cling wrap. Roll the colours into a log, snip off one end then place into a large piping bag fitted with a 1.5 cm star tip. Pipe onto cupcakes. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, before serving.
How to ice these rainbow cupcakes
Divide the buttercream into three bowls then add a few drops of food colouring to each and mix until combined. We’ve used pink, blue and yellow but you can use whichever colours you prefer. Place a large piece of plastic wrap on the benchtop and spread each coloured buttercream in a line along the plastic. Roll up the plastic into a log, snip one end, and place the log open side down, into a large piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm star tip. Holding the bag upright, pipe the icing onto the cupcakes in luscious swirls.
How to make unicorn cupcakes
These rainbow cupcakes are the perfect base for a unicorn-themed party. Simply sprinkle over the rainbow icing some brightly coloured sprinkles and mini mallows or use store-bought unicorn shaped decorations. Some stores also sell unicorn themed cupcake toppers with paper unicorns or twirled horns on toothpicks.
What’s so special about these hot water chocolate cupcakes?
In place of the hot water, you can use hot strong coffee for a mild mocha flavour which adds an extra rich depth to the chocolate.
The hot liquid dissolves the granulated sugar and activates the leavening agents in this recipe so that the cake begins to rise fast and evenly resulting in the perfect crumb.
The combination of both oil and sour cream, guarantees a perfectly moist crumb.
How long do the chocolate cupcakes keep?
The un-iced cupcakes can be made a few days in advance and stored in an airtight container in a cool spot or frozen for up to 1 month.
