Ella's First Birthday + Funfetti Cupcake Recipe

Our daughter turned one last month! We invited our family to celebrate, share BBQ, and eat cupcakes. It was one of my favorite days in recent memory, but instead of gushing about the emotions of a mother on her child's first birthday - read more for my favorite photos from the day and a recipe for Funfetti Cupcakes. 

Polka-dots + Glitter + Instragrams

ONE! + Ella's Busy Table + A Full House

Her crown fell off and knocked out her candle. 

She was happy after a taste though

Funfetti Cupcakes 

Adapted from King Arthur Flour + the Kitchn 

Makes 24 cupcakes 

For the cake:

8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract* 

5 large egg whites 

2 3/4 cups cake flour 

1 cup milk 

1 cup rainbow sprinkles (classic jimmy style are best) 

Heat the oven to 350˚F. Line 2 cupcake pans with cupcake liners and set aside. 

Cream together the butter, baking powder, sugar, salt and extracts with a heavy duty mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. Add the egg whites to the butter one at a time. Beat well after each addition. 

Add one third of the flour, followed by half of the milk, an additional third of flour, the remaining milk, and the last third of flour; stop to scrape the bowl between additions. Add the sprinkles and stir to evenly distribute. 

Pour about a half a cup of the batter into the cupcake liners in the prepared pans. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pan half way through, until the cakes are golden brown and spring back when touched. 

Cool completely before frosting. 

for the frosting:

Combine 8 ounces softened unsalted butter with 1 teaspoon kosher salt with a heavy duty mixer on medium high speed. Add 2 pounds of powdered sugar by the cup full to the butter on medium high speed. Add one teaspoon of vanilla extract. 

Frost each cup cake with about 1/4 cup of frosting and dunk in additional cupcakes. 

*I think this is the secret ingredient for making the cake taste like store-bought funfetti cake mix. If you don't have it on hand, the cupcakes will still be delicious.