Grape Soda Cupcakes
Soft, bakery style grape soda cupcakes with a fluffy purple frosting.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites at room temperature
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil
- 1.5 cups grape soda at room temperature and lightly stirred to reduce foam
- 1 box 15.25 oz white cake mix
- 0.25 cup unsweetened grape drink mix powder
- 1 cup 2 sticks salted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 0.5 teaspoon almond extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 0.25 cup heavy cream plus up to 2 tablespoons more as needed
- Purple gel food coloring
- 2 tablespoons purple sparkling sugar for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two standard muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites, vegetable oil, and grape soda until the mixture looks frothy and opaque.
- Sprinkle the white cake mix and grape drink mix powder over the wet ingredients and mix on low just until no dry streaks remain, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Divide the batter evenly between the liners, filling each about two thirds full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 15 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes cool, beat the softened salted butter in a large bowl on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until very pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla bean paste and almond extract until combined.
- Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, alternating with splashes of heavy cream, mixing on low after each addition until incorporated.
- When all the sugar and 0.25 cup cream are added, increase the mixer speed to medium high and whip until the frosting is smooth and holds soft peaks. Add up to 2 tablespoons more cream if needed for a fluffy, pipeable consistency.
- Tint the frosting with purple gel food coloring, adding a small amount at a time and mixing until you reach your desired shade.
- Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip, or into a zip top bag with the corner snipped off.
- Pipe generous swirls of frosting onto the completely cooled cupcakes.
- Sprinkle the tops with purple sparkling sugar and let the cupcakes sit for 10 minutes so the outer layer of frosting sets slightly before serving.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter once you add the cake mix, or the cupcakes can bake up dense instead of light.
- Make the cupcakes up to 2 days ahead and store them unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature; frost the day you plan to serve.
- Refrigerate the frosting for up to 3 days with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface, then bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.
- Store frosted cupcakes covered at room temperature for 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 3 days and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Make the cupcakes up to 2 days ahead and store them unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature; frost the day you plan to serve.
- Refrigerate the frosting for up to 3 days with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface, then bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.
- Store frosted cupcakes covered at room temperature for 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 3 days and bring to room temperature before serving.