Grape Soda Cupcakes

What’s the secret to the lightest, most flavorful cupcakes you’ve ever had? It’s something you wouldn’t expect – grape soda! These Grape Soda Cupcakes are proof that a simple twist can make all the difference. The carbonation adds a delicate texture, while the grape flavor is a fun departure from the usual. 

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Our simple Grape Soda Cupcake recipe comes together in 10 minutes (thank you cake mix hack!) What sets my cupcakes apart isn’t just the flavor—it’s how the soda transforms the entire baking process. The grape soda is a key ingredient that enhances the taste and aerates the batter, making these cupcakes incredibly light and fluffy.

Unlike dense or overly sweet cupcakes, this recipe strikes the perfect balance with a subtle grape flavor that’s both nostalgic and refreshing. Plus, the carbonation gives the cake a melt-in-your-mouth texture you won’t get from a typical cupcake recipe.

If you’re looking for a unique, delicious, and super easy recipe, these cupcakes are an absolute must-try!

Ingredients Notes

• Egg whites: Helps in creating a fluffier cupcake with a softer crumb.
• Vegetable oil
• Grape soda: I used Grape Crush brand in my batter, but you can substitute any store-brand grape soda or grape Nehi for the Grape Crush.
• White cake mix: The cake mix simplifies the cooking process by already containing a balance of flour, sugar, and leavening agents needed for the cupcake batter. I used Pilsbury brand but Betty Crocker or Dunkin Hines will work just as well.
• Packet unsweetened grape flavored drink mix: I used Kool-Aid brand drink mix. Feel free to substitute your favorite store brand or generic grape drink mix for the Kool-Aid brand.
• Purple gel food color: I used Sunny Side Up Bakery brand, Regal Purple, because it’s highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way!
• Salted butter
• Pure vanilla extract
• Pure almond extract
• Powdered sugar
• Heavy cream: Ensures the frosting is easy to pipe, and it helps in creating a light, smooth, and creamy texture.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Grape Soda Cupcakes

1. Create The Cake Batter: Mix together the egg whites, vegetable oil, and grape soda. Add in the cake mix and grape drink mix and mix until the cake batter is a uniform color. Add 2-3 drops of the purple gel food coloring for a darker purple color.
2. Bake: Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ full. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
3. Form The Frosting: Beat together the butter, vanilla, and almond extract until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, alternating with the heavy cream until the frosting is smooth. Mix in drops of food color.
4. Decorate Your Desserts: Pipe frosting in a spiral pattern over the top of each cooled cupcake. Sprinkle the with the purple sparkling sugar and serve. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Grape cupcakes are perfectly pretty for unicorn parties, potlucks, Pride month, barbecues, or just to make your day more colorful. They’re a great way to round out your rainbow recipes and treats with a purple pop of color!

For more rainbow recipes, try my Rainbow Popcorn, Rainbow Poke Cake, Rainbow Cake Mix Cookies, and Rainbow Sherbet Punch — a fun way to add a festive touch to any party table.

Tips & Variations

• Dessert Is Done: Remember that all ovens bake differently, so begin checking the cupcakes around the 12-minute mark. The cupcakes are done baking when a toothpick comes away with only a few crumbs.
• Pipe Your Pattern: To pipe the frosting on top of the cupcakes, you can use a disposable piping bag fitted with a shaped tip or a gallon-size ziplock bag with a corner snipped off.
• Make Them Mini: You can also make 48 mini cupcakes instead of the full-size cupcakes. 
• Crown Your Cupcakes: To make the frosted cupcakes even prettier, sprinkle some purple sparkling sugar or purple sanding sugar on top.

Proper Storage

• To Store: If your kitchen is cooler, you can store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Otherwise, you can store the cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• To Freeze: You can store the cupcakes in the freezer for up to one month. Allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

More Cupcake Recipes

• Thin Mint Cupcakes
• Fireball Cupcakes
• Biscoff Cupcakes
• Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

If you tried this Grape Soda Cupcakes Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!

5 from 1 vote

Grape Soda Cupcakes

Author — Jennifer Fishkind

Serves — 24

Grape Soda Cupcakes bakes a fizzy, fruity beverage right into the batter! Purple has never tasted so pretty!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Rest Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Cupcake Batter

• ▢ 4 egg whites room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 1½ cup grape soda I used Grape Crush brand
• ▢ 15.25 ounces white cake mix I used Pilsbury brand
• ▢ 0.14 ounce packet unsweetened grape flavored drink mix I used Kool-Aid brand
• ▢ 4-6 drops purple gel food color I used Sunny Side Up Bakery brand, Regal Purple

Buttercream Frosting

• ▢ 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter softened
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
• ▢ 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
• ▢ 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
• ▢ 4-6 drops purple gel food coloring I used Sunny Side Up Bakery brand, Regal Purple
• ▢ Purple sparkling sugar optional garnish (you can also use purple sanding sugar)

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350*F. Line a regular sized muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• 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.
  4 egg whites, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1½ cup grape soda
• 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. If you are wanting a darker/deeper purple color, you can add 2-3 drops of the purple gel food coloring. Continue mixing until the cake batter is a uniform color and no purple streaks remain.
  15.25 ounces white cake mix, 0.14 ounce packet unsweetened grape flavored drink mix, 4-6 drops purple gel food color
• Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ 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.
• 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 ½ minutes until light and fluffy.
  1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
• 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.
  4 cups powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 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 drops of gel food coloring, mixing just until the color is uniform and no visible purple streaks.
  4-6 drops purple gel food coloring
• 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 ½ 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.
• Sprinkle the frosting with the purple sparkling sugar and serve.
  Purple sparkling sugar

Jenn’s Notes

Storage:

• To Store: If your kitchen is on the cooler side, you can store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Otherwise, you can store the cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• To Freeze: You can store the cupcakes in the freezer for up to 1 month. Allow the cupcakes to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Tips:

• Remember that all ovens bake differently, so begin checking the cupcakes around the 12 minute mark. The cupcakes are done baking when a toothpick comes away with only a few crumbs.
• You can use a disposable piping bag fitted with a shaped tip or a gallon size ziplock bag with a corner snipped off to pipe the frosting on top of the cupcakes.
• You can also make 48 mini cupcakes instead of the full size cupcakes. You can also make 48 mini cupcakes instead of the full size cupcakes.
• Feel free to sprinkle some purple sparkling sugar or purple sanding sugar on top of the frosted cupcakes to make them even prettier!

Nutrition Info

Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 255IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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