Red Vines Grape Buttercream Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe

With Grape Licorice Candy

Vanilla cupcakes with Red Vines Grape Licorice flavored buttercream frosting

What You'll Need:

1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milk
Purple sprinkles, for topping (optional)

4 Red Vines Grape Licorice Twists, cut into pieces
¼ cup water
¼ cup butter, softened
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

Preheat Oven and Combine Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 350˚F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

Beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Beat in the eggs until well combined, then add the vanilla extract.

Beating ingredients together to make cupcakes

Mix Ingredients

Turn your mixer to low. Add in half of the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.

Add the milk, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir by hand or beat on low until the ingredients are just combined.

Be careful not to over-mix or your cupcakes will come out dense instead of light and fluffy.

Bake Cupcakes and Melt Red Vines Grape Twists

Spoon the cupcake batter into the muffin tin slots, filling each about ¾ full. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the cupcakes to sit for 10 minutes, then transfer them to your counter top or a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting, combine the Red Vines Grape Licorice Twists and a splash of water in a skillet over low heat.

Cook until the candy is melted, adding more water to prevent it from sticking to the pan, about 10 minutes.

When done, it should be the consistency of jelly.

Melting Grape Licorice with a little bit of water in a pot

Beating Grape flavored frosting in a bowl

Make Frosting

In a large bowl, beat the butter on low until creamy.

Add in the melted Red Vines Grape Twists and some of the confectioners sugar and beat until well combined.

Add a tablespoon of milk or cream and the rest of the confectioners sugar and continue to beat.

Add enough heavy cream to achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency.