Funfetti Cupcakes

Method

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Place 12 cupcake liners in a muffin tin and set aside.
2. 2
   Add 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt to a large bowl. Whisk together until combined and set aside.
3. 3
   In a separate, large bowl, add 1/2 cup warm water, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 egg, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp of almond extract. Whisk together until combined.
4. 4
   Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. The batter should be thin, but that's the way it's supposed to be! Gently fold in 1/4 cup of rainbow sprinkles.
5. 5
   Divide the cupcake batter evenly between the muffin liners, filling them about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
6. 6
   Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling. If you want to accelerate the cooling process, pop the cupcake pan into your freezer for about 30 minutes.
7. 7
   Beat 1/2 cup of butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp of salt on medium speed for 30 seconds with a whisk or hand mixer until smooth.
8. 8
   Gradually mix in 2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp of heavy cream or milk on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, then mix on a medium-high speed for a minute to make the frosting nice and fluffy.
9. 9
   If the frosting seems too thick, add additional cream (1 Tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (a quarter of a cup at a time).
10. 10
    Place the buttercream in a piping bag fitted with your favorite frosting tip (I used a Wilton 1M) and seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.
11. 11
    Decorate the funfetti cupcakes! Pour your favorite sprinkle blend into a small bowl (I combined 3 different types of rainbow sprinkles to make my own blend), then pipe a small dollop of frosting onto a cupcake and dunk the cupcake into the sprinkles. Gently press the cupcake into the sprinkles until the frosting has flattened out into a thin layer and is fully covered with sprinkles.
12. 12
    Pipe a swirl of buttercream on top of the layer of sprinkles and repeat with the remaining cupcakes. Add a small pinch of sprinkles on top of each cupcake, then enjoy!