Mermaid cupcakes look like they could be served under the sea with ombre blue frosting. This recipe for vanilla cupcakes and buttercream frosting uses blue dye to create cupcakes fit for a mermaid!
¼cup(57 g or 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, , room temperature
1cup(200 g) granulated sugar
2large eggs
⅓cup(75 g) sour cream (or plain, low-fat yogurt)
¼cup(60 ml) vegetable oil
2tablespoonsvanilla extract
⅔(160 ml) cup milk
Ombre Blue Buttercream Ingredients
1cup(2 sticks or 223 g) unsalted butter,, room temperature
2 ½cups(300 g) powdered sugar, , sifted
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
⅛teaspoonsalt
1-2tablespoonsmilk
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a mini cupcake pan with baking cups.
In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
Gradually add in the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk (So it goes flour, milk, flour, milk, flour). Mix until batter is uniform and smooth.
Fill baking cups about 2/3 full and bake for 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.* Remove from the oven, transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack, and allow them to cool to room temperature before frosting.
Ombre Blue Buttercream Frosting
In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter (with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer) until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the powdered sugar until completely incorporated.
With the mixer on medium speed, add the vanilla and salt, and beat for a minute, until fluffy. Add milk until desired consistency is reached.
Add one drop of blue food dye to the frosting and mix until the frosting turns pale blue. Scoop about a quarter cup of frosting into a piping bag fitted with desired tip. Push frosting to the end of the bag where the tip is.
Add another drop of blue food dye to the bowl of frosting, mix again and scoop out another quarter cup of frosting and add it to the piping bag. Repeat process until there is no more frosting left.
Frost cupcakes (the first cupcake should be pale blue and the last cupcake will be sea blue). Garnish with white nonpareils and serve.
Notes
*If baking regular-sized cupcakes, bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Cupcakes are best served day of, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.