Grape soda cupcakes take the nostalgic flavor of a cold glass of grape soda and bake it into a soft, fluffy crumb, then finish it with creamy vanilla buttercream.
The bold purple color and sweet, fizz inspired taste make them a fun, eye catching dessert for birthday parties, bake sales, or an ordinary afternoon when you want something more interesting than a plain vanilla cupcake.
I keep this recipe in my back pocket for family gatherings because the cupcakes look like a project, yet the process is simple enough for a brand new baker to handle on the first try.
Here is the short version before you pull out the mixer.
Time: 10 minutes of prep, 15 minutes in the oven, and 55 minutes total from start to finish.
Yield: 24 cupcakes, which is a generous batch for a party tray.
Batter: 4 room temperature egg whites, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 1/2 cups grape soda, one 15.25 ounce box of white cake mix, one .14 ounce packet of unsweetened grape flavored drink mix, and 4 to 6 drops of purple gel food coloring.
Frosting: 1 cup (2 sticks) softened salted butter, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract, 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream, and 4 to 6 drops of purple gel food coloring.
Quick steps: mix the wet ingredients, add the dry ingredients and the coloring, fill the liners, bake, cool on a wire rack, beat and tint the buttercream, pipe it on, then finish with purple sparkling sugar.
One frosted cupcake has about 238 calories, 35 grams of carbohydrates, 28 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein, 11 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 221 milligrams of sodium, and 22 milligrams of cholesterol based on the source nutrition.
Why This Recipe
What sets these cupcakes apart is where the grape flavor comes from. Real grape soda plus a packet of unsweetened grape drink mix deliver a bold, nostalgic taste you rarely find in a cupcake, and the color comes along with it.
The buttercream also gets a small amount of almond extract along with the vanilla. That little extra rounds out the frosting so it complements the grape base instead of covering it up.
Grape Soda Ingredients
These cupcakes pair genuine grape flavor with a light, fluffy texture, and every ingredient is easy to find at a regular grocery store. I used Grape Crush soda, a Pillsbury white cake mix, Kool Aid unsweetened grape drink mix, and Sunny Side Up Bakery purple gel coloring in Regal Purple, but any comparable brand works.
Cupcake Batter
Amount
Notes
Egg whites
4
Room temperature
Vegetable oil
1/2 cup
Grape soda
1 1/2 cups
Grape Crush was used
White cake mix
15.25 ounces
Pillsbury was used
Unsweetened grape flavored drink mix
.14 ounce packet
Kool Aid was used
Purple gel food coloring
4 to 6 drops
Add more to reach the shade you want
Buttercream Frosting
Amount
Notes
Salted butter
1 cup, 2 sticks
Softened
Pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons
Pure almond extract
1/4 teaspoon
Powdered sugar
4 cups
Sifted
Heavy cream
2 to 3 tablespoons
Purple gel food coloring
4 to 6 drops
Add more to reach the shade you want
Purple sparkling sugar
As needed
Optional garnish, purple sanding sugar also works
Grape Soda Cupcakes Substitutions and Additions
A few swaps work well if you are missing something.
Cake mix: vanilla cake mix can replace the white cake mix. The flavor shifts a little, but the texture stays similar.
Butter: unsalted butter works in the frosting as long as you add a pinch of salt to offset the sweetness.
Garnish: purple sanding sugar or white chocolate shavings can stand in for the purple sparkling sugar. They trade some of the crunch for a different look on top.
How To Make Grape Soda Cupcakes
The method moves through two parts, the cupcakes and the frosting, and both come together quickly once the oven is on.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a regular sized muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Add the egg whites, vegetable oil, and grape soda to a medium size bowl, about 2 to 3 quarts. Use a handheld mixer on medium low speed to mix until everything is well combined.
Lower the mixer speed to low. Add the cake mix and the grape drink mix. Mix just until incorporated and the batter is a uniform color. Add the purple gel food coloring a couple of drops at a time until the batter is the shade you want, then keep mixing until the batter is even and no purple streaks remain.
Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes away with only a few crumbs. Every oven bakes a little differently, so start checking around the 12 minute mark. Carefully remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin and transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
For the frosting, use a stand mixer or a large bowl, about 4 to 5 quarts, with a handheld mixer on medium high speed. Beat the softened butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Lower the mixer speed to low and add the sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, alternating with the heavy cream, until all the powdered sugar has been added.
Increase the mixer speed to medium high and continue mixing until the frosting is well combined and smooth.
Lower the mixer speed to medium and add the purple gel food coloring a couple of drops at a time until the frosting is the shade you want, mixing just until the color is uniform with no visible purple streaks.
Fill a disposable piping bag fitted with a shaped tip, or a gallon size ziplock bag with a corner snipped off, with the frosting.
Hold the tip of the bag about 1/2 inch above the surface of a cooled cupcake. Use steady, even pressure to gently squeeze the frosting in a spiral pattern over the top.
Sprinkle the frosting with the purple sparkling sugar and serve.
Let the cupcakes cool completely on the wire rack before you frost them, which usually takes about half an hour. Frosting a warm cupcake will melt the buttercream and leave you with a puddle instead of a swirl.
A toothpick with a few moist crumbs means the cupcakes are ready. If it comes out completely clean and dry, they have already spent a little too long in the oven.
Troubleshooting This Grape Soda Cupcake Recipe
Most problems with these cupcakes come down to mixing, coloring, or oven timing. Here is how I handle each one.
Problem
What causes it
How to fix it
Dense cupcakes
Over mixing once the dry ingredients go in
Mix gently and stop as soon as the batter is uniform
Weak purple color
Too few drops of gel coloring
Add more coloring a drop at a time and mix fully so no streaks remain
Runny frosting
Too much heavy cream
Add cream sparingly and thicken a loose batch with extra powdered sugar
Frosting that separates or will not hold shape
Butter was melted instead of softened, or it was not beaten fluffy before the sugar went in
Start with soft butter and beat it until light before adding powdered sugar
Dry cupcakes
Over baking
Begin testing at 12 minutes and pull them when a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs
Uneven batter color
The soda and coloring were not fully incorporated
Mix until the batter is one even shade
Buttercream tastes too sweet
Sugar heavy frosting, especially with unsalted butter
Balance it with a pinch of salt and a touch of almond extract for depth
Sticky tops
Cupcakes left to cool in the pan
Cool them completely on a wire rack so trapped moisture does not soften the surface
How To Serve Grape Soda Cupcakes
These cupcakes fit several kinds of gatherings, and the bright purple tops do most of the decorating work for you.
For birthday parties, they make a fun alternative to a standard sheet cake. Pair them with a kid friendly Shirley Temple and add treats such as birthday cake cookies to build a festive dessert table that works for both kids and adults.
For a summer barbecue or a picnic, the cupcakes go well with whipped lemonade, and a light strawberry trifle rounds out the spread without needing extra oven time. The same collection also shares a Dr Pepper ice cream as another dessert built on soda flavor.
Pepsi Cupcakes
If the soda cupcake idea appeals to you, the same kitchen also shares Pepsi cupcakes, another soft, fluffy cupcake built on cola flavor.
It is a nice way to repeat this same technique with a different soda.
Cookie Monster Cupcakes
Cookie Monster cupcakes are another playful, kid friendly idea that fits the same party table as these grape cupcakes, and they are a good follow up bake once you have the frosting method down.
How To Store Grape Cupcakes
Good storage keeps the texture and the flavor where you want them.
To make them ahead, bake the cupcakes a day in advance, cool them completely on a wire rack, and store them unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature. Make the frosting separately, refrigerate it, and let it soften slightly at room temperature before you pipe it onto the cupcakes.
Frosted cupcakes keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens back up.
For longer storage, freeze only unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container or a freezer safe bag for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, bring them to room temperature, then frost and serve. I do not recommend freezing frosted cupcakes because thawing can change the texture of the buttercream.
Why We Love Grape Soda Cupcakes
These cupcakes are a fun twist on a classic, and they deliver three things at once: a vibrant color, a nostalgic grape flavor, and a simple method.
The grape soda and the grape drink mix give a fruity flavor that is uncommon in cupcakes, and starting from a white cake mix base keeps the whole recipe quick to assemble even on a busy afternoon.
Kids tend to love both the flavor and the bright purple tops, which makes this a dependable choice for parties, school events, and bake sales. If you are baking for a crowd and want a dessert that looks festive without a lot of fuss, this is the one I reach for first.
FAQs
How do you make grape soda cupcakes from scratch?
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining a muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, mix 4 room-temperature egg whites, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 1 1/2 cups of grape soda until combined. On low speed, add a 15.25-ounce box of white cake mix and a 0.14-ounce packet of unsweetened grape drink mix, then stir in 4-6 drops of purple gel food coloring. Fill each liner 2/3 full and bake for about 15 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
What frosting pairs best with grape soda cupcakes?
A creamy vanilla buttercream frosting is the perfect pairing for these grape cupcakes. To make it, beat 1 cup of softened salted butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract until light and fluffy. Gradually add 4 cups of sifted powdered sugar alternating with 2-3 tablespoons of heavy cream, then mix in 4-6 drops of purple gel food coloring for a matching purple hue.
Can I use a boxed cake mix to make grape cupcakes?
Yes, this recipe is designed to use a 15.25-ounce box of white cake mix as the base, which makes it quick and easy. The cake mix is combined with grape soda, egg whites, vegetable oil, and an unsweetened grape drink mix to create a moist and flavorful batter. This approach simplifies preparation while still delivering a homemade taste and vibrant color.
How should I store grape soda cupcakes to keep them fresh?
Unfrosted grape soda cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for up to one day or frozen for up to three months. Once frosted, the cupcakes should be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days. Always use an airtight container to maintain moisture and prevent them from drying out.
Grape Soda Cupcakes Grape soda cupcakes take the nostalgic flavor of a cold glass of grape soda and bake it into a soft, fluffy crumb, then finish it with creamy vanilla buttercream. The bold purple color and sweet, fizz inspired taste make them a fun, eye catching dessert for birthday parties, bake sales, or an ordinary afternoon when you want something more interesting than a plain vanilla cupcake.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter 4 egg whites egg whites, room temperature 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 1/2 cup grape soda 15.25 ounces white cake mix .14 ounce unsweetened grape flavored drink mix 4–6 drops purple gel food coloring
Buttercream Frosting 1 cup salted butter, softened 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream 4–6 drops purple gel food coloring Purple sparkling sugar
Instructions
1-Preheat the oven to 350*F: Preheat the oven to 350*F. Line a regular sized muffin tin with cupcake liners. 2-Add the egg whites, vegetable oil and: Add the egg whites, vegetable oil and grape soda to a medium size (2-3 quarts) mixing bowl. Use a handheld mixer on medium low speed to mix until well combined. 3-Lower the mixer speed to low: Lower the mixer speed to low. Add in the cake mix and grape drink mix. Mix just until incorporated and the cake batter is a uniform color. Add the purple gel food coloring a couple of drops at a time until the batter is the shade you want. Continue mixing until the cake batter is a uniform color and no purple streaks remain. 4-Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full: Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes away with only a few crumbs. (Remember all ovens bake differently, so begin checking the cupcakes around the 12 minute mark) Carefully remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. 5-Next, using either a stand mixer, or: Next, using either a stand mixer, or a large size (4-5 quarts) mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium high speed, beat together the softened butter, vanilla and almond extract for 1 – 1 1/2 minutes until light and fluffy. 6-Lower the mixer speed to low, and: Lower the mixer speed to low, and add the sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, alternating with the heavy cream until all the powdered sugar has been added. 7-Increase the mixer speed to medium high,: Increase the mixer speed to medium high, and continue mixing until the frosting is well combined and smooth. 8-Lower the mixer speed to medium, and: Lower the mixer speed to medium, and add the purple gel food coloring a couple of drops at a time until the frosting is the shade you want, mixing just until the color is uniform and no visible purple streaks. 9-Fill a disposable piping bag fitted with: Fill a disposable piping bag fitted with a shaped tip, or a gallon size ziplock bag with a corner snipped off, with the frosting. 10-Hold the tip of the bag about: Hold the tip of the bag about 1/2 inch above the surface of the cooled cupcakes. Use steady even pressure to gently squeeze the frosting in a spiral pattern over the surface of the cupcake. 11-Sprinkle the frosting with the purple sparkling: Sprinkle the frosting with the purple sparkling sugar and serve.
