Rainbow Cupcakes Recipe: A Colorful Baking Adventure!
Whimsical and rich, these Chocolate Rainbow Cupcakes are a delightful treat featuring a soft, chocolatey base filled with a colorful surprise. Moist, tender, and made with simple ingredients, they’re perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or just brightening up your day.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 standard cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
¾ cup water
¼ cup applesauce or yogurt of choice (or mashed banana or sweet potato puree)
¼ cup oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 cup spelt, white, or Bob’s gluten-free flour
¾ cup sugar (white, evaporated cane juice, coconut sugar, or xylitol)
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder or regular unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
½ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 batch Rainbow Unicorn Dip (for filling)
Optional melted chocolate chips for topping
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the water, applesauce or yogurt, vanilla, and vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powders, salt, baking soda, and optional mini chocolate chips in a separate bowl.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir just until combined. Do not overmix the batter.
Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
Bake for 20 minutes (or about 10 minutes for mini cupcakes) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before adding the filling.
To fill, either use a piping bag or Ziploc bag with a small cut hole to inject the Rainbow Unicorn Dip into the bottom of each cupcake, or cut out a small circle from the top, add the filling, and replace the piece, hiding it with frosting or melted chocolate if desired.
Store cupcakes loosely covered at room temperature for one day, or refrigerate after that. For longer storage, freeze the cupcakes and add the filling after thawing for best results.
Notes
Use a variety of fillings such as fruit preserves or frosting if you don’t have Rainbow Unicorn Dip.
For a deeper chocolate flavor, opt for Dutch-process cocoa powder.
Mini chocolate chips are optional but add delightful texture and extra chocolate bursts.
Cupcakes are even better the next day once the flavors meld!
Freeze unfrosted and unfrosted cupcakes separately for up to 2 months.