Baseball Cupcakes
These Baseball Cupcakes are the ultimate game day treat — moist vanilla cupcakes topped with a fluffy white buttercream baseball, red stitching, and a ring of green grass frosting. They're easier than they look, completely customizable, and guaranteed to be the MVP of any baseball party spread.
Servings: 17 cupcakes
Equipment
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer for both batter and frosting
- USA Pan Standard Muffin Pan 12-cup non-stick
- 3 Piping bags with tips large round tip (white), small round tip (red), Wilton #233 grass tip (green)
- Offset spatula for smoothing frosting if needed
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil keeps the crumb moist
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Vanilla recommended
- ½ cup whole milk room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, not packed
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons whole milk add more as needed for consistency
Decoration
- red gel food coloring for stitching frosting — gel gives vibrant color without thinning
- green gel food coloring for grass frosting — gel gives vibrant color without thinning
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar. Cream on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and milk. Mix well on medium speed, scraping down the sides often until fully combined.
- Add in the salt, baking powder, and flour. Mix on low until just combined, then increase to medium and mix until a smooth batter forms, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling each about ½ to ¾ full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 14 minutes, until the centers are set and the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
Make the Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter and about half of the powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Add in the remaining powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on low until combined, then increase to medium speed and whip until the frosting is smooth, creamy, and fluffy.
- Divide the frosting between three bowls: approximately ⅔ remains white (for the baseball), about ¼ cup is tinted red (for stitching), and the remaining 1 cup is tinted green (for grass). Transfer white frosting to a piping bag with a large round tip, red frosting to a piping bag with a small round tip, and green frosting to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton #233 grass tip.
Decorate the Cupcakes
- Pipe a large round ball of white frosting in the center of each cooled cupcake. Use an offset spatula to smooth the top if needed to create a clean, rounded baseball shape.
- Using the red frosting, pipe two curved rows of stitching lines along the sides of the white ball to mimic a baseball's stitching pattern.
- Finally, use the green grass tip to pipe a ring of green grass around the outer edge of each cupcake, framing the baseball in the center.
Notes
**Storage:** Store decorated cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving for the best flavor and texture.
**Pro Tips:**
- Use gel food coloring, not liquid — gel gives a vibrant, true color without thinning the frosting.
- Make sure your butter is properly softened (not melted) for both the batter and the frosting. Cold butter won't cream properly; melted butter will make your frosting greasy.
- Don't overfill the liners — ½ to ¾ full gives you a nicely domed top that's perfect for frosting.
- Chill the cupcakes for 10 minutes after piping the white ball before adding the red stitching — it helps the stitching hold its shape cleanly.
- These cupcakes can be made a day ahead. Bake and cool the cupcakes, store unfrosted at room temperature, and decorate the next day.
- Use gel food coloring, not liquid — gel gives a vibrant, true color without thinning the frosting.
- Make sure your butter is properly softened (not melted) for both the batter and the frosting. Cold butter won't cream properly; melted butter will make your frosting greasy.
- Don't overfill the liners — ½ to ¾ full gives you a nicely domed top that's perfect for frosting.
- Chill the cupcakes for 10 minutes after piping the white ball before adding the red stitching — it helps the stitching hold its shape cleanly.
- These cupcakes can be made a day ahead. Bake and cool the cupcakes, store unfrosted at room temperature, and decorate the next day.
