Grape Soda Cupcakes (Printable)

Fluffy cupcakes infused with grape soda flavor, topped with tangy purple buttercream frosting for a nostalgic treat.

# What you'll need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 2/3 cup grape soda

→ Color and Flavor

09 - 1/4 teaspoon grape extract or flavoring
10 - Purple food coloring as desired

→ Grape Buttercream

11 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2–3 tablespoons grape soda
14 - 1/4 teaspoon grape extract or flavoring
15 - Purple food coloring as desired
16 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with grape soda. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
06 - Stir in grape extract and a few drops of purple food coloring until desired color is reached.
07 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
08 - Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition.
10 - Add 2 tablespoons grape soda, grape extract, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Add more grape soda, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed for consistency.
11 - Mix in purple food coloring until desired shade is reached.
12 - Frost cooled cupcakes with grape buttercream. Decorate as desired with grape candies or sprinkles.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cupcakes stay incredibly moist thanks to the grape soda in the batter
  • That unmistakable grape flavor feels like childhood nostalgia in every bite
  • The bright purple color creates instant party excitement on any dessert table
02 -
  • The grape soda loses carbonation during baking so flat soda works perfectly fine
  • Room temperature ingredients prevent the batter from separating or becoming dense
  • These cupcakes freeze unfrosted for up to three months if wrapped tightly
03 -
  • Use sparkling grape juice instead of soda for a slightly more sophisticated flavor
  • Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to the frosting to cut through the sweetness

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