Sunday, January 07, 2007

Sprinkles Cupcake Mix



For Christmas, I bought my aunt Adri one of Sprinkles' new (and obscenely overpriced at $14) cupcake mixes (and one for myself!). They are sold only at the Sprinkles store and Williams Sonoma. One canister makes only 12 cupcakes. They supply the dry ingredients and "modern dots," you supply the eggs, butter and milk. She has yet to make them, so I cannot report on the cake, but I did make the cream cheese frosting printed on the canister, and it was quite good. Not too sweet at all. So here it is:

8 oz cream cheese
4 oz butter
3 3/4 c. confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/2 tea. vanilla extract
1/8 tea. salt

Cream the butter, cheese and salt in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar until incorporated, then add the vanilla.

Today I made the chocolate cupcakes. They were very good, and easy to make,but certainly not worth $14, and certainly not any better than other chocolate cake recipes I have tried! But they sure did turn out cute with those little dots...

Sprinkles chocolate frosting:
6 oz. butter
pinch of salt
2 1/2 c. confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/4 tea. vanilla extract
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Beat butter and salt in stand mixer until light and fluffly, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed, gradually add the sugar, until incorporated, stopping the mixer to occasionally scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and chocolate, mix until combined, careful not to overmix and incorporate too much air.

42 comments:

Billy said...

I want one.

Anonymous said...

So what I'm getting from review, is that someone could really clean up by making lovely little buttons to top cupcakes, and we'd be all set to have something which looks adoreable, but tastes the same as a $14 batch of cupcakes! Hmmm...perhaps some fondant rolled out, colored, stacked, and made into buttons and sold by the dozen? Sounds like a plan!

K and S said...

I was looking at the mix in WS and wondered about it. Still the cream cheese frosting sounds wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Mmmm... Sprinkles. So overpriced, and yet so yummy! I have to draw the line at frosting shots, though. And dog cupcakes. LOL

ATMOSPHERE said...

have them. made the lemon ones. still want to make. love them. covet them...suggest to anyone who is a non-baker but want to impress $14 is NOTHING...and simply delicious.

Anonymous said...

Agree, definitely worth the $14 to me!

Anonymous said...

I just purchased a few cupcakes from Sprinkles - very good! Does anyone know the mix ingredients for the chocolate cupcakes and the vanilla frosting? Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I just went to Sprinkles on Monday for the first time, and I am still dreaming about the cupcakes. It is Tuesday and I have craved them all day long, so much so that I am online researching them now. I tried the Banana and the Vanilla flavors. They are both the best cupcakes I've ever had. Anyone tried to figure out the recipe yet for the cupcakes? Thanks for posting the frosting recipe - I wanted that too!

Sarah said...

We just made the Red Velvet Cupcakes - they were really good, even the last one that was 3 days old. The frosting is light and yummy and the cake very moist. Beware of the red food coloring however - it has a way of invading the kitchen counter as well as my hands and arms during the mixing process! Those dots are darn cute but don't try to eat them or you'll find yourself at the dentist! We'll be buying them again despite the $14 price tag - btw, they are 2 for $24 at WS (wasn't advertised but apparently they are sold that way).

Cakespy said...

I recently made the vanilla cupcakes, and I agree--quite good for a mix and adorable with the dots, but dots aside I'm not sure about the $14 price tag, for that price I would rather just make 'em from scratch!

Anonymous said...

There was an article in the LA Times 'West' Magazine (their Sunday magazine) a few months back. They had the recipe for their Coconut cupcakes and frosting. Probably is available in the LA Times archives. I haven't tried it yet, but plan to as the weather gets cooler ;)

Anonymous said...

(from LA Times 'West' Magazine)

If anyone tries the recipe, please post ! Hope it's better than a $14 mix !

The Other Cake
By Rachel E. Johnson
June 3, 2007

Laura Reisert of Calabasas was figuring out how she could save money on her wedding. When she got to the part about the wedding cake—which could easily cost her a thousand dollars—she hit on the salvation of every mom who's faced the challenge of feeding a mob: cupcakes. Besides, says the 22-year-old, the three tiers of cupcakes from Sprinkles in Beverly Hills will let her put her stamp on her July wedding in Malibu. "Having cupcakes is fun, quirky, unique," says Reisert. "They speak to our personalities."

Sprinkles was one of the first bakeries to ride the wave of cupcake popularity. Executive pastry chef Candace Nelson opened the store in 2005 to follow in the footsteps of her cupcake-baking great-grandmother. Then Barbra Streisand sent Oprah Winfrey a box of treats from Sprinkles, and a star was born.

"After Oprah, it was a new, trendy way to get dessert," says Sprinkles staffer Lauren Nelsen of the cupcake bonanza, which includes new Sprinkles stores in Newport Beach and Dallas.

There are 20 varieties of Sprinkles cupcakes—from the typical chocolate and vanilla combinations to chai latte and red velvet—at $36 for a dozen. But if you insist on making them yourself, here's a recipe courtesy of the bakers at Sprinkles.

*

Great-Grandma's Coconut Cupcakes

From Sprinkles pastry chef Candace Nelson

Makes 18 to 20

2 cups sifted cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup whole milk

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon coconut extract

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

2 large egg whites, plus 1 whole large egg

Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line two greased standard muffin pans with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and extracts. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg whites and the egg and mix until they are combined. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until it is combined. Gradually drizzle in all the milk mixture. Add the remaining dry mixture and mix carefully until just combined. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake cups (they should be two-thirds full) and bake about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake springs back when pressed lightly and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

*

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

8 ounces cold cream cheese

8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1/2 cup sweetened coconut shavings

In the bowl of an electric mixer, slowly mix the cream cheese, butter and salt until fluffy and combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Mix in the extracts until incorporated and the frosting is smooth. Frost each cooled cupcake with about 2 tablespoons of frosting and immediately top with 1 teaspoon of sweetened coconut shavings.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know the recipe for Sprinkles Vanilla cupcakes and Vanilla icing. Would love to have it by weekend, but if not it's OK. I do have the recipe for Magnolia's.

Anonymous said...

I am in search of a light and fluffy scratch vanilla cupcake. I have tried Billy's and it was a little dry, but I think that was my fault. I tried the Whimsical Bakehouse recipe today and it was really dense.

How are the Sprinkles cupcakes? Never had one, but been meaning to venture to Dallas one Saturday to try them.

Could you use the previous recipe for the coconut cupcakes omit the coconut extract and up the vanilla extract?

Anonymous said...

How do you make the fondant? Or buy them in large amounts from somewhere?

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for posting the coconut recipe. I tweaked it just a bit, less sugar and more vanilla. Voila, I found the Sprinkles recipe. Co-workers said that mine even tasted better.
Keep posting the recipes......Keep them coming.....Thanks again!!!

Sandra R.

Anonymous said...

I just finished making the vanilla ones, and they are amazing! The top of the cupcake somewhat crystallizes, tasting like a sugar cookie. I would definitely purchase these mixes again! The frosting was easy to make...

2 sticks unsalted butter, firm but not cold

1/8 tsp salt

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp milk

Beat the butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add sugar and beat until incorporated. Add vanilla and milk and beat until smooth and creamy. The frosting should be creamy and dense, like ice cream. Add additional milk, 1 tsp at a time, if frosting does not have a spreadable consistency.

Enjoy!!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for all the info! Just wondering... The strawberry frosting recipe given on Martha Stewart today, as well as the dark chocolate frosting recipe from Oprah both call for UNSALTED butter. These all seem to say regular butter... Are there any skilled bakers out there who know if there's much of a difference? Maybe these should read unsalted too? Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I am in heaven! Thanks for posting all the frosting and cup cake recipes- I see sprinkles o the Girls Next Door and always wondered if they were as good as they looked!

Anonymous said...

Hey Sandra how much sugar and vanilla did you use? I would really love to make some awesome vanilla cupcakes i've had a craving for weeks now and so far not even my angel food cake cupcakes come close. Post back please! You could also send to my email latoyajn@ufl.edu

Anonymous said...

Hi Sandra,
I'm the one who posted the coconut recipe from the LA Times West Magazine. Did you use the pure coconut extract or the imitation? I can't find the pure stuff anywhere ! Please let me know. I want to make them for a gathering next weekend, and will use your suggestions of reducing sugar/increasing vanilla.

Anonymous said...

OK, why exactly do you need the Sprinkles recipe? Sprinkles has a good recipe, but they have an even better marketing strategy. Go to epicurious, or any other quality foodie website and you will fine TONS of great recipes that are wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Made the chocolate peppermint cupcakes from the mix--very disappointed--very dry.

Anonymous said...

I made them too and I HIGHLY recommend that you use the Madagascar Bourbon vanilla that Sprinkles uses in their recipe (also found at Williams-Sonoma for $10 for a 4 oz bottle but well worth it!) Using the mix is great since I don't get out to Beverly Hills that often as of late.

Anonymous said...

For Grandmother's Coconut Cupcakes, has anyone tried replacing the coconut extract with vanilla to make it a Vanilla Cupcake?

Anonymous said...

Yes you can...all you do is double the amount of vanilla extract in the recipe.

Anonymous said...

the first recipe for frosting is really good. It was a little sweet but you could just put 3 cups in and add more if you think it is not sweet enough. I used it with a yellow cake recipe and it was great!

Unknown said...

OH ok, so Sprinkles frosting is made with primarily butter and sugar? THAT explains why I always get a stomach ache after eating a Sprinkles cupcake (and I can eat, let me tell you). I don't consider butter & sugar to be a true frosting. A real frosting, in my opinion, is made using meringue, with some butter incorporated into it. When made properly, that yields a frosting that is silky, smooth and satisfying, and is much lighter that eating spoonfuls of sugared butter.

Anonymous said...

i absolutely adore the red velvet sprinkles cupcake! they where so delicious and moist i ate five of them when they were hot, however i found that saving them for later made them taste very dry. the cream cheese icing was awesome but it was way too sweet so i only ended up using 2 c. of confectioner's sugar.

Anonymous said...

Do you think Sprinkles Cupcakes have the same method of mixing/ making their cupcakes like butter and sugar/salt first then alternate of wet and dry ingredients? Thanks

PS. anybody knows what type of ingredients they use like what brand and all? THanks again

Anonymous said...

Sprinkles Cupcakes are worth every last dollar!

Anonymous said...

HI
I live in Ireland and sprinkles are not sold here can anyone help me with the choc cupcake recipe and the strawberry frosting please. My niece loves sprinkle and its her birthday in October and I would love to make her a tower of cupcakes for her birthday cake. Many thanks Denise, my email is casaarona@yahoo.com

S said...

Hi,

I live in California (Bay Area, to be specific; Norcal). Actually, a new Sprinkles shop just opened in Palo Alto and there was an episode on the local show, View on the Bay, where the owner of Sprinkles shared the recipe for her strawberry cupcakes and frosting. Have fun :) !
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=view_from_the_bay/food_wine&id=6413738

Anonymous said...

The recipe for the strawberry frosting is:
- 1/2 c. whole frozen strawberries, thawed
- 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
- Pinch of coarse salt
- 3 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract.

Place strawberries in the bowl of a food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly ass confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree, mix until blended. DO NOT OVER MIX or frosting will get to much air. Should be like a creamy texture!

This frosting taste so good! There is also the cupcake recipe at Martha Stewart's website.

Anonymous said...

I'm in England and when ever I am in the USA I go to William Sonoma and get Sprinkles Mix, I've even been to the store in Beverly Hills. Although I'm now not going to be back in the USA till next Summer.

I've just made the Sprinkles Pumpkin Mix and it really rocks. Here in England we aren't big Pumpkin food fans (apart from Soup). Any ideas how I can replicate?

Just FYI I always reduce the sugar in the frosting mix as I find it too sweet.

Thanks

Anonymous said...

how did you frost it exactly like sprinkles? i always try frosting my cupcakes like theirs, but my frosting is always too runny or fluffy and i can't get it to look good. yours look amazing!

Anonymous said...

The thing that amazes me about Sprinkles cupcakes are the jimmies that adorn the frosting. Does anyone know where these can be purchased? I know that I can buy regular, run-of-the-mill jimmies at the grocery store, but the ones used on the cupcakes in specialty shops (like Sprinkles and its newly opened crosstown rival, Kara's Cupcakes in Palo Alto) seem much fresher and have a much better texture than the grocery story type. I'd love to know. Thanks for the recipes and tips!

Anonymous said...

On the sprinkles at Sprinkles(or jimmies, depending on what part of the US you are in!), they are made by Callebaut, and you can get them imported from Europe via online vendors. You may have better luck if you look for "Vermicelli" and "Callebaut" as your search terms, I believe that is what they are labeled as on the packages rather than using the word "sprinkles"

The topping on the dark chocolate cupcakes at Sprinkles are actually just tiny shavings of chocolate, which is why they are so good!!

Anonymous said...

Oh! Thank you so much for finally solving that mystery. Nobody seemed to know where the sprinkles came from and I thought I was forever doomed to using the grocery store quality type. The Callbaut site has exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks again!

efrain said...

oh yes, these cupcake mixes are delicious. i've tried the red velvet, vanilla, and dark chocolate. vanilla is my fav, and red velvet second (for the mixes). but the red velvet are way too messy, blowing red dye outta your nose for days :D

at the actual store, however, I think my favourite is the banana. oh dear, they're ungodly deelish.

Unknown said...

Hi,
Thanks for the great info and recipes. I love Sprinkles black and white cupcakes and would love to make them. You don't happen to have the recipe for the Belgian dark chocolate cake mix do ya?
Thanks

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