Transform the iconic sprinkle covered, pink and white cookies into a cupcake! These buttery cupcakes are bursting with sprinkles, filled with marshmallow fluff and topped with creamy white chocolate frosting, rainbow sprinkles and, of course, a circus animal cookie.
These cookies just remind me of being a kid. I don't know if it's because they're so nostalgic, or if it's because they're covered in pink frosting and sprinkles, but something about these little cuties always puts a smile on my face.
The only thing better than sitting down with a bag of these cookies, is sitting down with a frosted circus animal cookie, in cupcake form! I had so much fun creating these cupcakes to taste just like the cookie. The cupcake is buttery, sweet and loaded with a rainbow of those tiny little sprinkle balls. The frosting has melted white candy coating in it, to make it taste just like the frosting on the cookies, and of course we top it with more sprinkles, to look just like those little frosted animals.
If you guys give this a try be sure to tag me in a picture on social media @LindsayAnnBakes!
I used nonpareil sprinkles instead of rainbow jimmies, like I normally do in my funfetti cupcakes, to match the cookies, but just make sure you are really gentle when you mix these into the batter, because the colors will bleed if you mix it more than a few times. Just a few folds should do the trick to get the sprinkles evenly distributed.
But... that's not it. You know I had to put my own little spin on it, so I added some bright pink tinted marshmallow fluff in the center, for a surprise filling, to make these extra fun and festive.
If you love this recipe, you are going to love my Cookie Crazy Cupcakes...
...or my Giant Funfetti Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookie, so be sure to check those videos out too!
...or my Giant Funfetti Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookie, so be sure to check those videos out too!
Frosted Animal Cookie Cupcakes
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
Filling:
Frosting:
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cupcake pan with baking cups.
With an electric mixer, beat together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed for about 20 seconds. Add softened butter and oil and mix for about 1-2 minutes to coat the flour, until mixture resembles wet sand.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg, yolk, vanilla, butter extract and sour cream until smooth. Slowly add the wet mixture on low speed. Scrape down bottom and sides of bowl. Increase to medium speed and beat for about 1 minute until batter is smooth. Very gently stir in sprinkles, careful not to over mix as the colors will bleed into the batter.
Distribute the batter between the baking cups, filling about 2/3 full. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. (About 10 minutes for mini cupcakes). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.
Cupcakes:
- 1 1/4 cup (140g) cake flour, weighed or spooned into the cup and leveled
- 3/4 cup (144g) granulated white sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick/57g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoons butter flavor extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4 cup rainbow nonpareils, plus extra for garnish
- 12 frosted circus animal cookies, for garnish
Filling:
- 3/4 cup marshmallow fluff/cream
- pink food coloring
Frosting:
- 3oz white candy melts
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup (1 stick/4oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (1/2lb) powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar), sifted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cupcake pan with baking cups.
With an electric mixer, beat together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed for about 20 seconds. Add softened butter and oil and mix for about 1-2 minutes to coat the flour, until mixture resembles wet sand.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg, yolk, vanilla, butter extract and sour cream until smooth. Slowly add the wet mixture on low speed. Scrape down bottom and sides of bowl. Increase to medium speed and beat for about 1 minute until batter is smooth. Very gently stir in sprinkles, careful not to over mix as the colors will bleed into the batter.
Distribute the batter between the baking cups, filling about 2/3 full. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. (About 10 minutes for mini cupcakes). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.
Filling:
Dye marshmallow fluff pink with food coloring. Spoon into a plastic sandwich bag and snip off the corner, for easy piping into the cupcake. Fill cooled cupcakes and spread more fluff on top.
Frosting:
Dye marshmallow fluff pink with food coloring. Spoon into a plastic sandwich bag and snip off the corner, for easy piping into the cupcake. Fill cooled cupcakes and spread more fluff on top.
Frosting:
Microwave candy melts with 1 tablespoon cream in microwave safe bowl, in 30 second intervals on Medium-high for about 1-2 minutes, until smooth.
With an electric mixer, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, starting on on low and increasing to medium, until fully incorporated, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Add melted and cooled candy melts. Scrape down bottom and sides of bowl. Increase to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 3-5 minutes until smooth, light and fluffy.
With an electric mixer, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, starting on on low and increasing to medium, until fully incorporated, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Add melted and cooled candy melts. Scrape down bottom and sides of bowl. Increase to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 3-5 minutes until smooth, light and fluffy.
Frost cupcakes. Top with sprinkles and a cookie.
