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Mango Strawberry Sunset Cupcakes

A single mango strawberry sunset cupcakes topped with swirled pink, yellow, and white sunset-colored frosting.

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Bake these vibrant Mango Strawberry Sunset Cupcakes featuring a beautiful swirl effect and bright tropical fruit flavors. This recipe delivers a moist cake base and a sweet, tangy frosting perfect for summer parties.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup mango puree (strained)
  • 1/4 cup strawberry puree (strained)
  • 1/2 teaspoon yellow gel food coloring
  • 1/2 teaspoon red gel food coloring
  • For the Frosting: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk or cream
  • 1 tablespoon extra mango puree
  • 1 tablespoon extra strawberry puree

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Divide the batter evenly into three separate bowls. Leave one bowl plain (this will be the middle layer color).
  6. In the second bowl, gently fold in the mango puree and the yellow food coloring until you have a uniform light yellow batter.
  7. In the third bowl, gently fold in the strawberry puree and the red food coloring until you have a uniform pink/red batter.
  8. To create the sunset swirl, alternate spoonfuls of the three batters (yellow, plain, red) randomly into each cupcake liner, filling them about two-thirds full. Do not stir the batters together in the liner.
  9. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Prepare the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until combined. Add the vanilla and milk.
  11. Divide the finished frosting into three small bowls. Leave one plain. Mix the extra mango puree into the second bowl. Mix the extra strawberry puree into the third bowl.
  12. To frost: Use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a layer of the yellow frosting, then a layer of the plain frosting, and top with the red frosting, allowing the colors to blend slightly at the edges for a sunset look.

Notes

  • For the best swirl effect, use strained purees to prevent excess moisture from weighing down the batter.
  • You can achieve a more dramatic sunset look by layering the colors in the piping bag before frosting the cooled cupcakes.
  • These Tropical Fruit Cupcakes are great for summer parties.

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