Buttered Popcorn Cupcakes 

Imagine buttery yellow cupcakes with a twist—infused with real buttered popcorn flavor and crowned with popcorn-flavored Swiss meringue buttercream. These playful, movie‑night treats deliver a perfect balance of sweet and salty, with vibrant yellow frosting topped by crunchy popcorn for whimsy and texture. Whether celebrating with kids or hosting a themed party, these cupcakes bring nostalgic popcorn flair into dessert form. They'll stand out on your table and delight guests with both flavor and fun presentation.

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites and 2 large eggs
  
  

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  
  

• 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
  
  

• Fine sea salt (~½ tsp)
  
  

• Gel food coloring: yellow and orange
  
  

• 1¾ cups granulated sugar
  
  

• 2 dram bottle LorAnn buttered popcorn flavoring
  
  

• ½ cup unsalted butter
  
  

• 1½ cups salted butter
  
  

• ½ cup buttermilk
  
  

• 3 cups prepared movie‑theater style popcorn (for topping)
  
  

• (For frosting) Swiss meringue buttercream flavored with buttered popcorn essence (made from the butter mixture above) 

Directions

1. Preheat oven and line muffin tins with liners.
   
   

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
   
   

3. In a mixer, combine whites, whole eggs, sugar, food coloring, and buttered popcorn flavor to create a batter tinted buttery yellow-orange.
   
   

4. Cream together unsalted and salted butter in mixing bowl, then gradually fold in buttermilk and dry ingredients until just combined.
   
   

5. Portion batter into liners (~2/3 full) and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
   
   

6. Prepare Swiss meringue buttercream, flavoring it with the buttered popcorn essence. Color it yellow if desired.
   
   

7. Pipe or spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes in a swirl.
   
   

8. Top generously with movie-style popcorn, pressing lightly so it sticks to the frosting. Chill briefly if needed to set.
   
   

Nutrients

(Estimated per cupcake based on typical homemade cupcake + buttercream)

• Calories: approx. 400 kcal (varies with frosting amount)
  
  

• Fat: ~20 g (including saturated fat from butter and meringue)
  
  

• Carbohydrates: ~45–50 g (mainly sugars and flour)
  
  

• Protein: ~4 g
  
  

• Fiber: <1 g