These rainbow cupcakes have layers of vibrant rainbow colors and are topped with buttercream frosting. Easy to make with doctored cake mix, they are festive for St. Patrick’s Day or any party!
Other rainbow dessert recipes we love include these rainbow ice popsicles, rainbow jello and rainbow fruit platter!
Table of Contents
Easy Rainbow Cupcakes Recipe
Cake mix recipes simplify the baking process and turn out equally as delicious! These rainbow cupcakes are a colorful variation of my cake mix vanilla cupcakes and I use cake mix for cake mix cookies, easy dump cake recipe and funfetti cookies, too.
People ask me all the time if I always bake from scratch and while I do make chocolate cupcakes from scratch and vanilla cupcakes from scratch, I’m all about doctoring up cake mixes, too!
This easy rainbow cupcake recipe is cute, bright and festive for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration along with my pistachio bread recipe! It’s also a fun treat for birthday parties.
Recipe Ingredients
- White cake mix: Store bought white cake mix makes this easy although you can use homemade vanilla cake mix, too.
- Vanilla pudding mix: Not instant pudding use the cook and serve kind for best results.
- Eggs: You will need four large eggs that are at room temperature.
- Oil: I used canola oil but vegetable oil works too.
- Hot water: Adds moisture, milk can be used for a richer taste.
- Sour cream: Keeps these rainbow cupcakes super moist!
- Buttercream frosting: I prefer my buttercream frosting for best taste.
How to Make Rainbow Cupcakes
- Prepare. Preheat oven to 325°F and line cupcake pan with liners. Set aside.
- Mix batter. Add cake mix and dry pudding mix to a large bowl and stir until combined. Then mix in eggs, canola oil and water and stir. Finally, mix in sour cream.
- Color the batter. Separate batter into 5 bowls, then add different colors of food coloring to each. Stir each bowl until smooth.
- Fill cupcake liners. Add one spoonful (about 1 Tablespoon) of each color to cupcake liners and fill about 3/4 of the way.
- Bake in oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cooling rack. Frost once cooled. Enjoy!
Assembling Cupcakes
Although these rainbow cupcakes are quite festive without any decorations, the fun comes in assembling them how you like!
- Frosting: I love buttercream but vanilla frosting can be used, too. You could even make rainbow buttercream for even more pizzazz or try cream cheese frosting like I use on pink velvet cupcakes.
- Sprinkles: We love to use rainbow sprinkles! The colorful sprinkles are a fun contrast on top of the white buttercream frosting.
- Edible glitter: Using edible glitter adds such a fun touch and looks a little more fancy.
- Rainbow candy. Cut rainbow strip candy, such as Airheads extreme into smaller strips to make a rainbow on top of the cupcake.
- Cupcake toppers: Cupcake toppers are perfect to add for a celebration such as a birthday or holiday party. A unicorn or rainbow cupcake topper would be fun.
Expert Tips
- Gel food coloring. For vibrant colors in these rainbow cupcakes, use gel food coloring to color batter instead of traditional food coloring.
- Color variation. Play around with the cupcake batter colors and only use 2 or 3 of your favorites instead of 5!
- Frost like a pro. Check out this easy tutorial that gives step-by-step instructions on how to frost the perfect cupcake. You’ll become a pro cupcake decorator in no time!
- Flavoring rainbow cupcakes. I didn’t add additional flavoring but you could add lemon, coconut, clear vanilla or almond to the base layers for variety in each bite. Use fruity flavoring for a Fruit Loop taste!
FAQs
Use seperate bowls to make the colored layers then once the batter is added to the muffin tin, try not to touch it! You could even use use a piping bag for more precise rainbow cake batter placement.
Yes. Since we are using a cake mix, any cake pan that is listed on the back of the box should work!
Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
I prefer to freeze unfrosted cupcakes. Cool completely then transfer to a freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to one month. Thaw and add frosting.
More cupcake recipes to try include best chocolate cupcakes from cake mix, churro cupcakes and lemon poppy seed cupcakes.
More Cake and Cupcake Recipes
Browse all
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest recipes!
Rainbow Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
- 15 ounce box white cake mix
- 5.9 ounce box vanilla pudding mix (not instant, use cook & serve kind)
- 4 eggs
- ¾ cup canola oil
- ¾ cup hot water
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups buttercream frosting
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and dry pudding mix. Stir until combined. Next mix in the eggs, canola oil and water. Finally mix in the sour cream. Separate batter into 5 bowls. Add different colors of food coloring to each bowl and stir until smooth.
- Add one spoonful (about 1 Tablespoon) of each color to your cupcake liner (about 3/4 the way full). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they spring back when touched. Do not over cook. You can also test with a tooth pick to make sure the centers are cooked all the way through.
- Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool on a cooling rack. Frost with buttercream frosting.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
ENJOY!
Categorized as: American, Birthdays, Cake + Cupcakes, Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I’m living overseas and can’t find the vanilla pudding that you cook…any possible substitute for that?
You can leave it out (they won’t be quite as moist, but still delicious).
Can you use vegetable oil instead of canola oil?
Yes, either vegetable or canola oil will work for this recipe.
Thank you! Can’t wait to make these.
These cupcakes are so cute! I think I want them for my birthday. I happen to have a birthday party this weekend that I’m going to and I’m going to make these.
I love the shortcut on using boxed cake mix! These are so pretty and perfect for any celebration!
My kids loved these! So pretty and delicious!
Where can I find a 5.9oz box of vanilla non instant pudding mix?
You should be able to find it at any grocery store. It is the cook & serve kind instead of instant. :)
QQ – I am planning to make these this weekend for San Diego PRIDE. Do you use 1 cup of batter per bowl (5) for coloring? I want to ensure I even out the batter.
Thank you!
Hi Michelle! I’ve never measured out how much batter goes in each bowl, just evenly divided them. Sorry! Hope you enjoy making these!
cupcakes
cake
Such a fun cupcake. Sure to make anyone of any age smile.
These are so pretty and colorful! Love this idea for a birthday party.
They would be perfect for a birthday party!
These cupcakes are so fun and festive! Love it!
Do u use the whole egg or egg white like the box calls for
I use 4 whole eggs!
These are just TOO fun!
These are so pretty and so much fun! My kids loved them!
I’m so glad they were a hit with your kids!