Grape Soda Cupcakes (Print View)
Fluffy grape-infused cupcakes with tangy purple buttercream frosting. Perfect for parties and celebrations.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
08 - 2/3 cup grape soda
→ For Color and Flavor
09 - 1/4 tsp grape extract or flavoring
10 - Purple food coloring
→ Grape Buttercream
11 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2–3 tbsp grape soda
14 - 1/4 tsp grape extract or flavoring
15 - Purple food coloring
16 - Pinch of salt
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until well blended.
03 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3–4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with grape soda. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
06 - Stir in grape extract and a few drops of purple food coloring until desired color is achieved.
07 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
08 - Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition.
10 - Add 2 tbsp grape soda, grape extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Add more grape soda, 1 tsp at a time, if needed for desired consistency.
11 - Mix in purple food coloring until desired shade is reached.
12 - Frost cooled cupcakes with grape buttercream. Decorate with grape candies or sprinkles if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The grape soda creates the most tender crumb while infusing every bite with that unmistakable purple flavor we all secretly loved as kids
- These cupcakes are conversation starters at parties because people cannot believe grape soda makes such an incredible dessert
- The buttercream is tangy sweet and perfectly scoopable making them nearly impossible to stop eating
02 -
- The carbonation in grape soda might make your batter look slightly bubbly and this is completely normal
- Room temperature ingredients are essential because cold eggs or butter will cause the batter to seize and become curdled
- These cupcakes are at their absolute best within 24 hours but the unfrosted ones freeze beautifully for up to a month
03 -
- Use gel food coloring instead of liquid to avoid thinning out your frosting while trying to achieve that deep purple shade
- For an adult version try swapping grape soda for a sparkling grape juice blend and add a splash of wine to the buttercream