Football Cupcakes
Add Preferred Source
I can’t get enough of these Football Cupcakes, they’re the perfect mix of sweet and playful. The cupcakes are fluffy and moist, the vanilla flavor is light and delicious, and that green buttercream frosting looks just like a football field. Mini football toppers make them festive. They’re fun to decorate and more fun to eat during the game.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase through those links, I earn a commission. Thank you!
I make these for kids’ football-themed birthday celebration, Super Bowl party, and tailgating when I want dessert that looks impressive but comes together easily. The green frosting and football toppers make them look like you spent hours decorating, but they’re actually simple to put together. They stay fresh at room temp for 2 days or in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to Make Football Cupcakes with Step-By-Step Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.
I’ll walk you through each step so you can make the best football cookies with just 15 minutes of cook time, which’ll be a sure hit during football season.
Prepare the Pan and Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a muffin tin with silicone cupcake liners and set it aside. Using a quality muffin pan helps the cupcakes bake evenly and prevents sticking. You can also lightly grease it with vegetable oil so the cupcake liners release more easily.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisking aerates the flour and distributes the leavening agents evenly so your cupcakes rise uniformly.
If you’re swapping in baking soda for baking powder, note that the cupcake may come out flatter with a way lower rise compared to if you stick with baking powder.
Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition.
Creaming properly helps incorporate air to create a light texture, so this step is very important.
Combine the Dry and Wet Ingredients
Stir in the vanilla extract. Gradually add the dry ingredients and the milk to the mixture, mixing until just combined. Don’t overmix or your cupcakes will turn out dense and tough.
SERIOUSLY GOOD
DESSERTS!
Dessert First is a collection of 61 RECIPES to show you that you can make beautiful, impressive desserts right in your own kitchen, no matter your skill level.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
Includes ad-free recipes like:
∙ Lemon Pound Cake
∙ Key Lime Bars
∙ Boston Cream Pie
∙ No-Bake Chocolate Lasagna
∙ Raspberry Cheesecake
...and much more!
Fill and Bake the Cupcakes
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners using a cookie scoop for uniform portions. Fill the liners just slightly over half, because they’ll still rise in the oven.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The tops should spring back when lightly touched.
Cool Completely
Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pan and then transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before frosting. Frosting warm cupcakes will cause the buttercream to melt and slide off.
If you don’t have a cooling rack but have enough patience, you can wait for them to fully cool in the pan and frost them right there. In the event that the cupcakes won’t release from the pan, a damp towel soaked in hot water should do the trick.
Make the Buttercream Frosting
For the frosting, beat the butter until soft and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed at first to avoid splattering. Add the milk and beat until smooth, then the green food coloring if desired and mix until evenly colored.
The frosting should be thick enough to hold peaks but still spreadable.
Frost and Decorate
Spoon or pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes using a piping bag; a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip makes frosting easier and more fun.
Decorate them with cute football picks, chocolate laces on the middle piped with melted chocolate frosting, or candy goalpost toppers. You can use store-bought or homemade, depending on how creative you want to be.
Serve and enjoy!
Football Cupcakes travel really well to parties, tailgates, and potlucks. Place them in a sturdy cupcake container with individual cupcake holders so they stay upright and to protect the frosting during transport.
If you’re traveling in warm weather, pack the container in an insulated carrier so the buttercream doesn’t soften.
Equipment
- Cookie scoop for even portions
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup milk
For the buttercream frosting:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- Green food coloring
Video
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the bowl after each addition.¾ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 2 large eggs
- Stir in the vanilla extract. Gradually add the dry ingredients and the milk, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ cup milk
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
- Beat the butter until soft and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed at first to avoid splattering. Add the milk and beat until smooth. Add green food coloring if desired and mix until evenly colored.¾ cup unsalted butter, 2 ½ cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, Green food coloring
- Spoon or pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes and decorate as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
SERIOUSLY GOOD
DESSERTS!
Dessert First is a collection of 61 RECIPES to show you that you can make beautiful, impressive desserts right in your own kitchen, no matter your skill level.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
Includes ad-free recipes like:
∙ Lemon Pound Cake
∙ Key Lime Bars
∙ Boston Cream Pie
∙ No-Bake Chocolate Lasagna
∙ Raspberry Cheesecake
...and much more!
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover Football Cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The buttercream stays fresh longer when refrigerated, but bring them to room temp before serving for the best flavor and texture.
For longer storage, it’s best flash-freeze them first on a freezer-safe sheet pan for about an hour before transferring them to freezer containers to prevent them from sticking together or so the frosting doesn’t smudge if you’re freezing them frosted.
They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve them again, defrost them in the fridge overnight, then bring them to room temperature.
What to Serve With Football Cupcakes
They pair perfectly with other game day snacks like buffalo cauliflower bites, loaded potato skins, seven-layer dip, jalapeño poppers, or spinach artichoke dip. Serve them alongside veggie platters, chips and salsa, cheese boards, fruit tray, or soft pretzels with mustard.
For a full dessert spread, add brownies, cake bites, chocolate chip cookies, rice Krispie treats, football shaped cookies, or other gameday treats with football design.
They’re also a perfect complement with coffee, hot chocolate, cocoa powder drink, or cold milk for an after-game treat for your friends’ or kids’ team.
More Easy Recipes for You to Try at Home
If you love these cupcakes and looking for more great new recipes, check out my other favorite party-ready desserts.
