Moist, light, and fluffy white chocolate cupcakes topped with all the sweetness of Fruity Pebbles buttercream frosting. Kids and adults alike will love these fun cupcakes!
Who doesn't love Fruity Pebbles? Doesn't just saying "Fruity Pebbles" bring a smile to your face? It does to mine.
Did you know that Fruity Pebbles were introduced in 1971 to capitalize on the popularity of the Flintstones? In fact, their original name was going to be Flint Chips and Rubble Stones. I am glad Post Cereal went with option number #2.
Also, this might be a surprise to some readers. Did you know that Fruity Pebbles are just one flavor known as "Froot"? So, if you are like me (and I am guessing you are), finding out Fruity Pebbles is one flavor does not diminish your love for them at all.
White Chocolate Cupcakes
White chocolate is a mild flavor, that allows the Fruity Pebbles to be the star of the show. I wanted to try something different from my normal cupcake recipe. I searched and found this recipe on Veena Azmanov site. In her recipe, Veena takes an extra step of whipping the eggs. By whipping, the baker introduces lots of air into the eggs. The result is cupcakes with a light and fluffy texture.
Buttercream Frosting
I wanted this frosting as Fruity Pebble as possible without going overboard. I tried a couple of different techniques with so/so results. In the end, I found that swapping out one cup of finely crushed Fruity Pebbles cereal for one cup of confectioners sugar gave me the pop of flavor I was looking for.
When making this frosting, you can choose to have it with or without food coloring. In either option, I believe you will be happy with the result. Here are some pros and cons I found when playing with this recipe.
- Without food coloring - the frosting looks excellent. It has fun colors and zeroes fuss.
- The frosting is full of fun colors with food coloring, but it is a lot of work to clean pastry bags.
- If you use food coloring, I recommend regular and not pastel gel colors. I found the pastel colors were too light.
What I Like About This Recipe
- Cupcakes are quick and easy to make
- Lots and lots of Fruity Pebbles buttercream flavor
- These cupcakes are an all-around crowd pleaser!
Storing
You can store your cupcakes in an airtight container on your counter for up to two days. However, I do not recommend storing cupcakes in the refrigerator as they will dry out.
To freeze your cupcakes, wrap each cupcake in plastic and store them within a container to protect the shape. You can keep the cupcakes for up one month for the best flavor. When you're ready to eat the cupcakes, remove them from the freezer, unwrap them, and let them stand at room temperature for two hours.
If you make these cupcakes, take a picture and tag me know on Facebook or Instagram
Great British Bake
Season 2, Episode 1, Signature Bake - Cupcakes
GBBO Count: 23 down, 257 to go!
Recipe
White Chocolate Cupcakes with Fruity Pebbles Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- Stand or Hand Mixer
- Two small bowls
- Medium bowl
- Large bowl
- Food processor or ziplock bag
- 12 count cupcake pan
- 12 cupcake liners
- Pipping bag + large tip
Ingredients
White Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, unsalted, room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 eggs large, room temperature
- ½ cup white chocolate, melted and cooled* *See recipe notes on how to melt chocolate
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Fruity Pebbles Buttercream Frosting
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup Fruity Pebbles + extra for decoration
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 3- 5 tablespoons milk
- gel food coloring
Instructions
White Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep: Preheat oven to 320F. Measure out all ingredients. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners. Melt the white chocolate and set aside*
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Next, add the sour cream and vanilla.½ cup butter, unsalted, room temperature, ⅓ cup sugar, ½ cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Whip the Eggs: Using the whip attachment, whip the eggs and a pinch of salt until foamy. Set aside. This whipping makes the cupcakes light and airy.2 eggs large, room temperature
- Combine all ingredients: Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Next, add the melted and cooled white chocolate* to the batter. Lastly, add the eggs to the batter.½ cup white chocolate, melted and cooled*
- Bake the Cupcakes: Scoop the batter into the muffin pan. Bake the cupcakes for 20- 25 minutes*
Fruity Pebbles Buttercream Frosting
- Prep: Measure out all ingredients. Using either a food processor or a zip lock bag, crush the Fruity Pebbles to the smallest crumb you can achieve.4 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup Fruity Pebbles + extra for decoration, 1 cup butter, room temperature
- Mix: Using a mixer (hand or stand), beat the butter until the butter is creamy. Add the powdered sugar and Fruity Pebbles to the butter one cup at a time. With each cup, add a little milk. Mix until the frosting is at the desired creaminess. If you are adding food coloring, add drops 1 - 2 at a time until the desired color is achieved. Some colors might need more coloring than others. *The milk that is needed will vary by climate.3- 5 tablespoons milk, gel food coloring
- Decorate: Fill a piping bag with the desired tip. I recommend using either a large round tip, open star (Wilton 1M), or closed star (Wilton 2D) when making cupcakes. Once piped, sprinkle Fruity Pebbles on top.
Video
Notes
- *Chocolate melts at a low temperature and is very easy to burn. For this recipe, I melted the chocolate in the microwave at a reduced power of 50% in 20 - 30 second bursts. I stir and let stand when the chocolate is mostly melted (75%).
- This is the best way to melt small amounts of chocolate without burning it.
- The amount of milk that is needed will vary by climate. I live in an arid climate and needed five tablespoons. You might only need three tablespoons if you live in a moist environment. Add only as is necessary to create a smooth frosting.
- I recommend using the standard gel food colorings.
- The pastel colors were too light and added too much liquid to the frosting.
- The gel is concentrated. Using another type of food coloring will add a lot of liquid and could make your frosting runny. If your only standard food coloring, try replacing the milk with food coloring.
- The exact number of food coloring drops will vary by color. When I made these yellow, I needed six drops, while red-only needed 3.
Julia
These cupcakes were awesome and the recipe was easy to follow. The buttercream with the fruity pebbles worked even better than I'd hoped. Thank you.
Kayla DiMaggio
Yum! These fruity pebbles cupcakes were so good! I made them for a family party and they were a hit with all of the kids!