These party perfect Vanilla Pudding Confetti Cupcakes are super moist with lots of vanilla flavor and covered in the dreamiest vanilla pudding frosting. With sprinkles inside and out, they make for such a fun and special treat!
Perfect Birthday Party Cupcakes
For celebrating a birthday, these Vanilla Pudding Confetti Cupcakes are hands down the best vanilla cupcakes we’ve ever had! They’re super moist with lots of vanilla flavor and they’re covered in the dreamiest vanilla pudding frosting. With rainbow sprinkles inside and out, they make for such a fun and special birthday treat!
Easy and Adorable Homemade Confetti Cupcakes
If you’re looking for an easy and absolutely delicious homemade confetti cupcake to bake for a special celebration, these are the ones! When the twins turned one, I made these amazing cupcakes and they made great little smash cakes. Everyone else loved them, too!
Like Funfetti, But Better!
These homemade funfetti cupcakes are so much tastier than the boxed version. They bake up super moist with a rich flavor and no shortage of colorful sprinkles everywhere! And they don’t require a ton of effort. So worth it!
More Fun Recipes for Celebrating Birthdays
Celebrate them all day long with these fun and yummy birthday treats!
- Confetti Pancakes: Fluffy homemade pancakes filled with colorful sprinkles topped with a simple icing, whipped topping and even more sprinkles. These Confetti Pancakes are perfect for making any breakfast a celebration!
- Birthday Breakfast Mini Muffins: A cake mix, bananas, applesauce and sprinkles are all it takes to make these fun and yummy Birthday Breakfast Mini Muffins for a special birthday breakfast!
- Birthday Snack Mix: Make someone’s birthday extra special with this Birthday Snack Mix. It’s a sweet and salty treat made extra festive with colorful sprinkles, bright cereal and the cutest little Birthday Hat Bugles!
- Birthday Confetti Cake: This cake is a celebration in itself! Moist vanilla cake bursting with rainbow sprinkles layered with a creamy vanilla buttercream frosting and topped with even more sprinkles. It’s a party!!
Vanilla Pudding Confetti Cupcakes Ingredients and Supplies
(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for for measurements and details)
Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour: gives the cupcakes their structure and keeps them sturdy enough to hold the soft pudding-based crumb and fluffy frosting. You could swap in a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour if needed, though the texture may be slightly softer.
- Vanilla instant pudding mix (in the cupcakes): adds extra moisture, rich vanilla flavor, and that super soft, tender bakery-style texture that makes these cupcakes feel a little more special than a basic vanilla cupcake. French vanilla pudding mix would work too for a slightly richer flavor.
- Vanilla instant pudding mix (in the frosting): creates a creamy, fluffy frosting with lots of vanilla flavor while helping stabilize the whipped topping. Cheesecake or white chocolate pudding mix could also be fun flavor variations.
- Baking powder: helps the cupcakes rise and keeps them light and fluffy.
- Unsalted butter: adds richness, moisture, and buttery flavor while helping create a soft crumb. Salted butter can work in a pinch—just slightly reduce any added salt elsewhere if using it.
- Granulated sugar: sweetens the cupcakes while also helping create a light, tender texture when creamed with the butter. You could substitute part of it with light brown sugar for a slightly deeper flavor and softer texture.
- Large eggs: help bind everything together while adding structure, richness, and moisture. Room temperature eggs mix in more smoothly.
- Vanilla extract: boosts the warm vanilla flavor throughout the cupcakes and makes the pudding flavor taste more homemade. Vanilla bean paste or almond extract could be used for a flavor twist.
- Whole milk: adds moisture and richness to create a soft, fluffy cupcake texture. Also, activates the pudding mix and helps create the smooth, creamy base for the frosting. You could substitute 2% milk or even buttermilk for a slightly tangier flavor and extra tenderness.
- Whipped topping (such as Cool Whip): makes the frosting light, airy, and super easy to spread without needing to make a traditional buttercream. Homemade stabilized whipped cream could work as a substitute, but the frosting may be softer.
- Sprinkles: add a colorful, playful finish that makes the cupcakes instantly feel party-ready. Any festive sprinkle mix would work depending on the occasion.
Supplies:
How to Make Vanilla Pudding Party Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, pudding mix and baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Try not to over mix.
- Gently fold in 1/4 cup sprinkles.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared cupcakes liners, filling each one about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcakes comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, whisk the pudding mix and milk in a large bowl until well combined. Let pudding mix set for a few minutes before folding in the whipped topping. Cover and chill the frosting in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe or spread the frosting onto the cupcakes and sprinkle generously with the remaining 1/2 cup sprinkles.
Quick Tips & Serving Ideas
Quick Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter once you add the flour mixture. Mixing just until combined keeps the cupcakes soft, fluffy, and tender.
- Use jimmies-style sprinkles instead of nonpareils for the best confetti look. They hold their color better and won’t bleed into the batter.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting so the pudding frosting stays thick and fluffy instead of melting.
- Fill the liners about 3/4 full so they bake up nice and tall.
- Chill the frosting for 10–15 minutes if you want an even fluffier texture to pipe or spread beautifully onto the cupcakes.
Serving Ideas
- Serve chilled for an extra creamy, pudding-like frosting texture — especially during warmer months.
- Add a candle and turn them into the easiest birthday cupcakes for kids, coworkers, or classroom celebrations.
- Display them on a colorful cake stand or dessert board with extra sprinkles scattered around for a super festive presentation.
- Make mini cupcakes (they’ll bake for about 10-12 minutes) for baby showers, bake sales, or little hands at school parties and playdates.
Storage
Store cupcakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
To freeze unfrosted cupcakes, arrange them in a single layer in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Store them for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for 2 hours before frosting.
If you make these Vanilla Pudding Confetti Cupcakes, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 😍 I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Vanilla Pudding Confetti Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 12
- Category: Dessert
Description
These party perfect cupcakes are super moist with lots of vanilla flavor and covered in the dreamiest vanilla pudding frosting. With sprinkles inside and out, they make for such a fun and special treat!
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup sprinkles
Frosting:
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 (8 ounce) container whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)
- 1/2 cup sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, pudding mix and baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Try not to over mix. Gently fold in 1/4 cup sprinkles.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared cupcakes liners, filling each one about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcakes comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, whisk the pudding mix and milk in a large bowl until well combined. Let pudding mix set for a few minutes before folding in the whipped topping. Cover and chill the frosting in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe or spread the frosting onto the cupcakes and sprinkle generously with the remaining 1/2 cup sprinkles.
Yum! Love the addition of the pudding in the batter. We also really loved this frosting! It’s fluffy and not overly sweet like some butter creams. My family kept asking for more. #TheBakerMamaRecipeChallenge
Hi April! Thank you so much! 😊 I’m so happy you loved the pudding addition and that the frosting was a hit, too. Fluffy and not-too-sweet is exactly what I was going for! Hearing that your family kept coming back for more makes my day. Thanks for joining the recipe challenge! 🧁💕
#TheBakerMamaRecipeChallenge Great taste! My frosting was a little grainy – I think I would whip it with a mixer next time. Love the sprinkles.
Hi Sarah! Thanks so much for making them! 😊 I’m so glad you enjoyed the taste and the sprinkles. If the frosting seemed a little grainy, it can help to whisk the pudding mix and milk together really well until completely smooth before gently folding in the Cool Whip. Using a mixer can certainly smooth things out with the pudding mix and milk, but I find folding in the whipped topping keeps the frosting extra light and fluffy. Thanks again for giving the recipe a try!
Hi, I love this recipie for cupcakes it yeilds perfect results everytime! I was wondering if it could be converted to use in a 9x13in cake pan? I’m in need of a sheet cake and the recipient requested the “amazing sprinkle cupcakes but as a sheet cake.” Thank you!
Hi Drea! I’m so happy to hear you love these cupcakes and that they turn out perfectly every time! 😊 And yes — this recipe should work great as a 9×13-inch sheet cake too! I would recommend baking it at the same temperature, but start checking for doneness around 28–30 minutes since the bake time will be longer than cupcakes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. You can top it with the same vanilla pudding frosting and plenty of sprinkles so it still has all the fun “confetti cupcake” vibes in sheet cake form. I think it’ll be perfect for serving a crowd! If you try it, let me know how it turns out. Enjoy!
Made these exactly as written and they turned out delicious and beautiful to look at! The only thing I would recommend if you are transporting them somewhere is to make the frosting, but don’t frost the cupcakes until you get where you’re going. It’s such a quick process.
Hi, Eileen! I am so happy they were a success! That’s a great tip for transporting them. Thank you for sharing!
Hi! Would you recommend against using white whole wheat flour?
Hi Diana! You can definitely use white whole wheat flour. It’s a great substitute for all-purpose white flour. The cupcakes will bake up slightly denser but still taste great! Enjoy!
Hello!
I am just striking out with these pudding cupcake recipes. My toothpick comes out clean but it’s still “doughy” in the center. Not like regular cupcakes. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I followed the recipe to the T. They are just undercooked but not raw. Not cakey like they should be. Anything advice you have is appreciated.
Hi Amanda! Oh no, are you sure you mixed in just the dry pudding mix and not the prepared pudding mix? Or maybe you overmixed the batter which would ignite the baking powder before the baking process and prevent the cupcakes from baking up with a fluffy texture. I hope this helps and that you’re able to bake them again with greater success. Enjoy!
Hello amateur baker here! Can you tell me about how much you should fill each cupcake tin with batter, 1/4 cup, half full, etc.? I not an exact amount, an estimate? Thanks 🧁
Hi, Renee! With cupcakes, I’m usually trying to distribute the batter so they’re filled with the same amount, but it’s not something I measure. I usually say to fill cupcake papers until they’re “almost full.” I hope this helps. Enjoy!
Should the butter be softened for this recipe?
Hi! Great catch! Yes, the butter should be softened.
Looking forward to making these cupcakes! Will the frosting hold up during the party on the cupcake stand or does it melt quickly were not in the refrigerator? Thanks!
Hi Erica! The frosting holds up great if you use whipped topping like Cool Whip and as long as they’re not sitting out in the sun or really hot weather. If they’re served in a room temperature setting, they will hold up great for a few hours. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Is my batter supposed to be thicker than normal cake batter? It seems very cookie dough-ish.
Hi Sarah! Yes, with the addition of the pudding mix, it will be thicker. It should be more like muffin batter. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
I have to ask, the whipped topping that you fold in to the pudding at the end… it is referring to cool whip or already whipped cream? I have whipping cream (liquid) and cool whip on hand, I just don’t know if I have to whip the whipping cream first or not… thanks 🙂 hope reply before I attempt and fail lol.
Hi Carrie! It’s already whipped topping like Cool Whip. If you use heaving whipping cream, you will need to whip it with sugar first. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
So, I have to tell you. I don’t like cake!!!!
BUT THIS RECIPE IS DEFINITELY DELICIOUS!! I also have to confess that I didn’t follow the directions. I just dumped the 1st thru all the ingredients; one at a time and then mixed everything together with my kitchen-aid stand mixer. 2 things that I did do was shred the butter with a grater and slightly beat the eggs with a fork. Mix.. then done. It made 12 good size cupcakes. Yummy!!! Definitely worth making. My new go to recipe…
do you have a chocolate recipe too… well, I’m going to try changing the vanilla pudding(s) to a chocolate one and see if that works… (lol. Snicker snicker). ✌💞🥂
Have a fab day!!
Tracy
These are delicious and moist with a great density. Best cupcakes I have made note I made without sprinkles and frosting.
Is there no salt in this recipe ?
Hi Trenee! No, there’s salt in the pudding mix so I found it not necessary to add any additional. Enjoy!