Easter Marble Cupcakes

Easter Marble Cupcakes feature a beautiful swirl of vanilla and chocolate cake, creating a stunning marble pattern in every bite. These moist, tender cupcakes are made with sour cream for extra richness and topped with fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting and festive rainbow sprinkles. Perfect for Easter celebrations, spring parties, birthday gatherings.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fluffy and beautifully swirled with rich chocolate and vanilla in every bite. Topped with pastel frosting and festive sprinkles, they’re as pretty as they are delicious. Perfect for Easter brunch, parties, or a sweet springtime treat the whole family will enjoy.

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Ingredient List

For the Cupcakes:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1–2 tablespoons hot water
• Optional: 2–3 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles or confetti sugar

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3–4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2–3 tablespoons milk or cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: additional rainbow sprinkles for decorating

Friendly Notes: You can use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream—it works beautifully! For the sprinkles, I love using pastel colors for Easter, but any festive sprinkles will do. Just make sure to use good quality cocoa powder for the richest chocolate flavor.

Why These Ingredients Work

Let me tell you why each ingredient plays such an important role in making these cupcakes absolutely perfect!

Sour cream or yogurt is the secret weapon here—it adds incredible moisture and creates that tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb that keeps people coming back for seconds. Room temperature butter creams beautifully with the sugar, creating tiny air pockets that make the cupcakes light and fluffy.

Both baking powder AND baking soda work together to give you the perfect rise and a beautiful dome on top.

The hot water mixed with cocoa powder is a baker’s trick—it “blooms” the cocoa, intensifying the chocolate flavor and making it smooth and luxurious. Vanilla extract enhances all the other flavors and gives that classic bakery taste we all love. And those room temperature eggs? They incorporate more evenly into the batter, creating a smoother texture and better structure.

Essential Tools and Equipment

Here’s what you’ll need to make these beauties:

• 12-cup muffin tin
• Cupcake liners (I prefer the foil-lined ones for Easter—they’re so pretty!)
• Two medium mixing bowls
• One large mixing bowl
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Toothpick or wooden skewer (for the marbling magic!)
• Wire cooling rack
• Piping bag with decorating tip (or a ziplock bag and knife work too!)
• Sifter (for the powdered sugar—trust me, it makes a difference!)

How To Make Easter Marble Cupcakes

Preheat & Prep

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Mix Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Give it a good whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed.

Cream Butter & Sugar

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light, fluffy, and pale in color—this should take about 2–3 minutes. Don’t rush this step!

Add Wet Ingredients

Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Then add that beautiful vanilla extract and mix until everything is combined and smells absolutely heavenly.

Add Sour Cream & Milk

Mix in the sour cream (or yogurt) and milk until the batter is smooth and creamy. The batter might look a little weird at this stage—that’s totally normal!

Combine Dry & Wet

Here’s where you need to be gentle! Gradually add your dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until JUST combined. You should still see a few tiny flour streaks—that’s perfect.

Divide Batter

Scoop about half of the batter into your second medium bowl. Use a measuring cup or just eyeball it

Make Chocolate Batter

To the second bowl, add the cocoa powder and hot water. The hot water activates the cocoa and brings out all those deep, chocolatey flavors. Stir gently until the batter is smooth and evenly chocolate-colored with no streaks.

Create Marble Effect

Now for the fun part! Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full by alternating small spoonfuls of vanilla and chocolate batter. I like to do vanilla first, then chocolate, then vanilla again—but honestly, there’s no wrong way to do this! Once filled, take a toothpick or skewer and gently swirl through the batter in a figure-eight or circular motion.

Bake

Pop those beauties in the oven and bake for 16–20 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The tops should spring back when lightly touched.

Cool

This is the hardest part—waiting! Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Making the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Beat Butter

In a large bowl, beat that room temperature butter until it’s creamy and smooth—about 1–2 minutes.

Add Powdered Sugar

Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, about one cup at a time. Start on low speed so you don’t create a sugar cloud in your kitchen (been there!), then increase to medium-high speed once it’s incorporated.

Add Milk & Vanilla

Add 2 tablespoons of milk or cream and that vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until the frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth—about 2–3 minutes.

Adjust Consistency

Here’s where you customize! If your frosting is too thick, add another tablespoon of milk. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar, ¼ cup at a time. You want it spreadable but able to hold its shape.

Finish

Add just a tiny pinch of salt to balance out all that sweetness. Beat for another 30 seconds and you’re done!

Decorating Your Cupcakes

Once your cupcakes are completely cool, it’s time to make them beautiful! You can spread the frosting with a knife for a rustic look, but I love using a piping bag with a large star tip for that bakery-style swirl.

Fill your piping bag about halfway, twist the top, and pipe in a circular motion from the outside in, finishing with a little peak in the center.

You Must Know

Your butter and eggs MUST be at room temperature—this isn’t optional! Cold ingredients don’t incorporate properly and can lead to dense cupcakes. I take mine out of the fridge about an hour before I start baking. If you forget, you can soften butter in the microwave in 5-second bursts (watch it like a hawk!), and warm eggs by placing them in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes.

Personal Secret: I always sift my powdered sugar for the frosting, even if the bag says “pre-sifted.” It makes the buttercream impossibly smooth and silky—no one wants lumpy frosting! Also, I add just a tiny bit of sour cream (about a tablespoon) to my buttercream sometimes. It adds the most amazing tangy sweetness that complements the cupcakes perfectly.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Here are my tried-and-true secrets for perfect marble cupcakes every single time:

Don’t overfill the liners! I know it’s tempting to make them huge, but filling them more than two-thirds full leads to mushroom-top cupcakes that are gorgeous but impossible to frost nicely. Stick to two-thirds full and you’ll get perfect domed tops.

The marble swirl is forgiving. Some of my best-looking cupcakes came from quick, random swirls. Don’t overthink it! Just a couple of gentle swooshes with your toothpick and you’re golden.

Use a cookie scoop to divide the batter evenly between vanilla and chocolate portions, and another scoop to fill the liners. This ensures all your cupcakes are the same size and bake evenly.

Test one cupcake first. If you’re not sure about timing, test the cupcake in the center of the pan—it bakes slowest. If it’s done, the rest are definitely done.

For the smoothest frosting, beat that butter for a full 3–4 minutes before adding anything else. It should be almost white and super fluffy.

Flavor Variations / Suggestions

While these Easter Marble Cupcakes are perfection as-is, here are some fun ways to switch things up:

Strawberry Swirl: Replace half the vanilla batter with strawberry! Just add 2–3 tablespoons of strawberry puree (blend fresh or thawed frozen strawberries) to one half instead of cocoa powder. So pretty and delicious!

Chocolate Frosting: Swap the vanilla buttercream for chocolate by adding ½ cup cocoa powder to the frosting recipe.

Funfetti Style: Add 2–3 tablespoons of rainbow sprinkles to the vanilla batter before dividing. You’ll get sprinkles throughout!

Lemon Vanilla Marble: Add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and 1 teaspoon of lemon extract to the vanilla batter for a bright, citrusy twist.

Mint Chocolate: Add ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract to the chocolate portion for a minty surprise.

Cream Cheese Frosting: Swap the buttercream for cream cheese frosting by replacing half the butter with cream cheese. Divine!

Make-Ahead Options

These cupcakes are perfect for making ahead, which is a lifesaver when you’re planning a big Easter celebration!

Unfrosted cupcakes can be baked up to 2 days in advance. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature. Frost them the day you plan to serve them for the freshest taste.

Frosted cupcakes can be made up to 1 day ahead. Store them in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring them to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavor.

Freezing instructions: These cupcakes freeze beautifully! Freeze unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a few hours, then frost as usual. You can also freeze frosted cupcakes—just freeze them uncovered on a baking sheet until solid, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 1 month.

The frosting can be made up to 3 days ahead! Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to use it, let it come to room temperature and give it a good beating with your mixer to fluff it back up.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

A few extra insider secrets to ensure success:

The swirling technique really does matter—you want to create movement without completely mixing the batters together. Think gentle figure-eights or lazy circles. If you swirl too much, you’ll end up with brown cupcakes instead of pretty marble ones!

If your cupcakes have a pointed top instead of a nice dome, your oven might be running too hot. Invest in an oven thermometer—they’re cheap and so worth it!

Sour cream vs. yogurt: I’ve made these with both and honestly, they’re both fantastic. Sour cream gives a slightly richer flavor, while Greek yogurt makes them just a tiny bit lighter. Use what you have!

The cupcakes might sink slightly in the center as they cool—this is totally normal and happens because of the moisture from the sour cream. They’re still perfect!

When piping frosting, if your hand gets tired or the frosting starts to soften, pop the piping bag in the fridge for 5–10 minutes. It’ll firm right back up.

Serving Suggestions

These Easter Marble Cupcakes are versatile and perfect for so many occasions! Here’s how I love to serve them:

Arrange them on a beautiful tiered cupcake stand for Easter brunch—it makes such a gorgeous centerpiece! I like to surround the base with fresh spring flowers or pastel Easter eggs for extra festivity.

Serve them alongside fresh strawberries and whipped cream for an elegant dessert spread.

They’re absolutely perfect with a big glass of cold milk for the kids, or a hot cup of coffee or tea for the adults.

For Easter specifically, I love setting up a dessert table with these cupcakes, some pastel candies in glass jars, and other spring treats. The rainbow sprinkles really tie everything together!

You can also package individual cupcakes in clear boxes tied with pretty ribbon—they make the sweetest hostess gifts or party favors!

How to Store Your Easter Marble Cupcakes

Room Temperature: Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. However, once frosted with buttercream, I don’t recommend leaving them out for more than 4–5 hours, especially in warm weather.

Refrigerator: Frosted cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. The buttercream will firm up in the fridge, so let them sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving for the best texture.

Freezer: Unfrosted cupcakes freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Frosted cupcakes can also be frozen for up to 1 month—freeze them uncovered until solid, then wrap well.

Reheating: These are best enjoyed at room temperature! If you’ve refrigerated them, just let them sit out for 20–30 minutes. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for 2–3 hours at room temperature. No need to reheat—they’re perfect as is!

Allergy Information

Here’s what you need to know about common allergens in this recipe:

Contains: Dairy (butter, milk, sour cream/yogurt), Eggs, Gluten (wheat flour)

Dairy-Free Options: Use dairy-free butter (like Earth Balance), non-dairy milk (almond, oat, or soy), and dairy-free yogurt. For the frosting, use dairy-free butter and non-dairy milk.

Egg-Free: Replace each egg with a “flax egg” (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes). The texture will be slightly different but still delicious!

Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (like Bob’s Red Mill). Make sure it contains xanthan gum. The texture might be slightly more crumbly but they’ll still taste amazing.

Nut-Free: This recipe is naturally nut-free! Just make sure your sprinkles are processed in a nut-free facility if you have severe allergies.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use oil instead of butter in the cupcakes?

You can, but I don’t recommend it for this recipe. Butter gives these cupcakes their tender crumb and incredible flavor. Oil-based cupcakes have a different texture—they’re more moist but less fluffy. If you need to use oil, use ½ cup of vegetable or canola oil, but know that the texture will change.

My marble pattern didn’t show up—what happened?

This usually happens from over-swirling! When you swirl too much, the batters blend together completely instead of staying distinct. Next time, try just 2–3 gentle swirls per cupcake—less is more here. Also, make sure your chocolate batter is slightly thicker than the vanilla for better contrast.

Can I make mini cupcakes or a full-sized cake with this recipe?

Absolutely! For mini cupcakes, this recipe makes about 30–36 minis. Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes. For a full cake, divide the batter between two greased 8-inch round pans and bake for 25–30 minutes. The marbling works beautifully in cake form too!

Why did my cupcakes turn out dense instead of fluffy?

The most common culprit is overmixing the batter once you add the flour. Mix just until you don’t see dry flour anymore—a few small lumps are fine! Also, make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh (they lose potency after 6 months), and don’t skip the room temperature ingredients step.

Can I use store-bought frosting instead of homemade?

Of course you can! I won’t judge. But I promise, this homemade buttercream is SO much better and only takes about 10 minutes to make. It’s creamier, less sweet, and you can control the flavor. Once you try it, you might never go back to store-bought! But if you’re in a pinch, grab a container of vanilla frosting and jazz it up with a splash of vanilla extract.

How do I get my frosting to pipe smoothly without air bubbles?

Great question! After you make the frosting, tap the bowl firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles. Then, when filling your piping bag, push the frosting down from the top to eliminate any air pockets. If you still see bubbles while piping, stop, squeeze the frosting back into the bowl, and start again.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I absolutely LOVE seeing your beautiful creations! Tag me on social media with your Easter Marble Cupcakes and let me know how they turned out.