Football Stadium Pull-Apart Cupcake Cake

Level: Intermediate
Yield: 20 servings
Nutritional Info Per Serving (1 of 20): Calories 687, Total Fat 35 g, Saturated Fat 20 g, Carbohydrates 91 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugar 75 g, Protein 4 g, Cholesterol 102 mg, Sodium 141 mg
Total Time: 2 hours (including cooling time)
Active Time: 1 hour

Score big on game day with this stunning football stadium pull-apart cupcake cake! Feed a crowd effortlessly while dazzling them with a festive centerpiece. Vibrant green buttercream, dusted with sanding sugar, mimics a lush field. Perimeter cupcakes sparkle with rainbow nonpareils as cheering fans, topped by candy goalposts for authentic detail. Assemble on your counter, table, or 18-inch platter for easy transportperfect for touchdown celebrations!

Cupcakes Ingredients:

14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup sunflower or canola oil
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup whole milk at room temperature

Buttercream Ingredients:

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 pounds powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Milk or cream to thin
Leaf green gel food coloring for tinting

Decorations:

1/3 cup green sanding sugar
1 1/2 cups mixed large and small rainbow nonpareils
3 ounces yellow candy melting wafers

Special equipment:

3 1/2 to 4 tablespoon trigger ice cream scoop
Offset spatula
2 disposable piping bags
#3 round decorator piping tip
Parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two cupcake pans with 20 paper liners.
With an electric mixer, cream butter on medium speed, gradually adding sugar. Beat until fluffy and pale, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in oil and vanilla.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture on low speed, starting and ending with flour.
Scoop batter into liners using ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measure.
Bake until toothpick tests clean, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pans, then transfer to racks to cool fully.
For buttercream: Beat butter on high until creamy, 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar slowly on low until crumbly. Mix in vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk/cream. Adjust liquid for spreadable texture. Beat on high 3-4 minutes, scrape, then beat 2 more minutes.
Spoon 1/2 cup buttercream into piping bag with #3 tip; secure with rubber band.
Reserve one-third of remaining buttercream, covered with damp towel.
Tint rest leaf-green with gel; cover with damp paper towel.
Arrange 12 cupcakes in 4x3 rectangle on serving board. Dollop and spread green frosting to form seamless field; sprinkle with green sanding sugar.
Add 4 cupcakes per long side. Dollop and spread white buttercream. Use scraper as barrier. Sprinkle nonpareils for crowds; press gently. Repeat opposite side.
Score 50-yard line and yard markers (1 1/4-inch intervals) on field. Pipe white lines.
Melt yellow wafers: microwave 1 minute, stir; continue in 30-second bursts if needed. Pipe into goalpost template on parchment-lined sheet; chill 5 minutes. Peel carefully.
Slit ends of field; insert goalposts upright. Watch your game day crowd go wild!

Grab small nonpareils from baking aisles. Mix sizes for best "fans," but small ones alone shine too.