My First Bite of a Magnolia Cupcake
My niece brought me one from New York years ago. I took one bite and my eyes got wide. It was the softest, sweetest cake I had ever tasted.
It tasted like a big, happy birthday party. The pink icing was as fluffy as a cloud. I knew I had to learn to make them at home. Have you ever tried a bakery treat that you just had to recreate?
Why Room Temperature Matters
Let’s talk about your butter and eggs. They need to be room temperature. This is a small step that makes a big difference.
Cold butter doesn’t cream well with sugar. Your batter will look curdled. Warm butter mixes in smooth and fluffy. Your cupcakes will be light and tender. This matters because baking is about science and love mixed together.
The Secret to the Swirl
The icing on these cupcakes is famous. It has that big, beautiful swirl on top. The trick is in the mixing. You beat it for a long time.
Beat the butter and sugar for a full five minutes. It will get pale and very creamy. This makes it easy to swirl with a knife. *Fun fact: The original bakery uses a special paddle attachment for their mixers. It whips extra air into the icing!
A Little Story About Sprinkles
I once forgot to buy sprinkles for a batch. My grandson said they looked naked. We ran to the store just for those little colored dots.
It made him so happy to shake them on. The cupcakes felt finished and special. That’s the joy of a simple garnish. It turns food into a celebration. What’s your favorite cupcake topping? Is it sprinkles, or something else?
Sharing Your Creations
These cupcakes are made for sharing. They are from a show about friends, after all. I love making them for my book club.
We eat them and talk for hours. A homemade treat brings people together. This matters more than a perfect swirl. It creates a sweet memory. Does your family have a special treat that means together time?
Your Turn to Bake
Now you have the recipe. Remember, don’t overmix your batter. Just mix until you see no more flour. That keeps the cake soft.
Fill the liners three-quarters full. This gives them space to rise into a perfect dome. Doesn’t that smell amazing when they bake? I still laugh at my first batch. I was so proud. Will you make yours pink, or try a different color?
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Self-rising flour | 1-1/2 cups | |
| All-purpose flour | 1-1/4 cups | |
| Unsalted butter, softened | 1 cup (2 sticks) | For the cupcakes |
| Granulated sugar | 2 cups | |
| Large eggs, room temperature | 4 | |
| Milk | 1 cup | For the cupcakes |
| Vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon | For the cupcakes |
| Unsalted butter, softened | 1 cup (2 sticks) | For the Vanilla Buttercream Icing |
| Confectioners’ sugar | 6-8 cups | |
| Milk | 1/2 cup | For the Vanilla Buttercream Icing |
| Vanilla extract | 2 teaspoons | For the Vanilla Buttercream Icing |
| Pink food coloring | As desired | For decoration |
| Sprinkles | As desired | For decoration |
Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Cupcakes
Hello, my dear. Let’s bake some joy. These are the famous cupcakes from that New York bakery. I saw the line for them once. It went around the block! The secret is in the soft, fluffy cake and that pink cloud of frosting. It feels like a hug from the city. My granddaughter and I make these for our “fancy tea” days. We put on big hats and everything. Doesn’t that sound lovely?
Step 1:
First, get your oven ready. Heat it to 350°F. Line your muffin tins with pretty papers. I collect liners from all over. Now, mix your two flours together in a bowl. Just give them a little stir. Set that bowl aside for a moment. We’ll come back to it.
Step 2:
Time for the electric mixer. Cream the softened butter until it’s smooth. It should look pale and happy. Slowly add the sugar. Beat it for three whole minutes. It will get light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one by one. Let each one say hello before adding the next. (A hard-learned tip: Room temperature eggs mix in better. Just set them out early!).
Step 3:
Now, we combine everything. Add some of the flour mix, then a bit of milk and vanilla. Repeat until it’s all in. Mix just until you don’t see flour anymore. Overmixing makes tough cupcakes. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl’s sides. The batter will be silky and sweet. I still lick the spatula, I admit it.
Step 4:
Spoon the batter into your liners. Fill them about three-quarters full. This gives them space to rise into perfect domes. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Let them cool completely. Frosting a warm cupcake is a messy mistake! What’s your favorite cupcake liner color? Share below!
Step 5:
For the icing, beat the butter with four cups of sugar, milk, and vanilla. It will look a bit curdled at first. Keep beating! It becomes smooth. Add more sugar until it’s thick and spreadable. Now, the fun part. Add a few drops of pink food coloring. Swirl that pink icing high on each cupcake. Top with a mountain of sprinkles. Doesn’t that look amazing?
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (with cooling)
Yield: About 24 cupcakes
Category: Dessert, Baking
Three Sweet Twists to Try
Once you master the classic, try a little twist. It makes baking an adventure. Here are three ideas my neighbors love.
Lemon Sunshine: Add lemon zest to the batter. Use lemon juice in the icing instead of milk.
Berry Surprise: Place a single fresh raspberry in the center of each cupcake before baking.
Chocolate Swirl: Mix two tablespoons of cocoa into half the frosting. Swirl it with the pink.
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving with a Smile
These cupcakes are a celebration all by themselves. For a real party, stack them on a fancy cake stand. Add a tiny paper flag on top. Serve them with fresh berries on the side. It makes the plate so pretty. For drinks, a glass of cold milk is always perfect. Grown-ups might like a little sparkling rosé. It matches the pink frosting! Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Cupcakes Fresh and Happy
Let’s talk about keeping these sweet treats yummy. First, cool cupcakes completely before storing. I learned this the hard way. I once iced a warm cupcake. The frosting melted into a sad, sweet puddle.
Store frosted cupcakes in a single layer. Use a container with a tight lid. They will stay fresh on the counter for two days. You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to three months.
Wrap them well in plastic wrap first. Thaw them overnight on the counter. This batch-cooking trick is a lifesaver for busy weeks. Having a sweet treat ready matters. It makes an ordinary day feel special.
Have you ever tried storing cupcakes this way? Share your tips below!
Simple Fixes for Common Cupcake Troubles
Even grandmas have baking days that go a little wrong. Here are easy fixes. First, if your cupcakes are dry, you may have overmixed the batter. Mix just until you see no more dry flour.
Second, if your frosting is too runny, add more sugar. Add it one cup at a time. I remember when my first buttercream was soupy. A little more sugar fixed it right up.
Third, if cupcakes stick to the liners, let them cool fully. Peeling too soon tears the cake. Fixing small problems builds your cooking confidence. It also makes your food taste just right.
Which of these problems have you run into before?
Your Cupcake Questions, Answered
Q: Can I make these gluten-free?
A: Yes. Use a good gluten-free flour blend made for baking.
Q: Can I make them ahead?
A: Bake cupcakes a day ahead. Frost them the day you serve.
Q: What if I don’t have self-rising flour?
A: For one cup, mix one cup all-purpose flour with 1.5 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt.
Q: Can I make a half batch?
A: Absolutely. Just divide all the ingredients in half. It works perfectly.
Q: Any fun twists?
A: Try almond extract instead of vanilla. Fun fact: Magnolia Bakery first opened in New York City in 1996.
Which tip will you try first?
Bake Some Joy and Share It
I hope you love baking these classic cupcakes. Sharing them with friends is the best part. It creates a sweet little memory.
I would love to see your beautiful creations. Your kitchen stories make my day. Please share a photo of your finished treats.
Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest @ChloesKitchen!
Happy cooking!
—Chloe Hartwell.
Sex and the City Magnolia Cupcakes Recipe
Description
Bake Carrie Bradshaw’s iconic Magnolia cupcakes! This famous Sex and the City recipe yields perfect vanilla cupcakes with fluffy buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
Vanilla Buttercream Icing:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup muffins tins with cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
- Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
- To make the icing, place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the confectioners’ sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes). The icing should be thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need all of the sugar.
- If desired, add a few drops of pink food coloring and mix thoroughly.
- Generously frost each cupcake, adding a final flourish with the knife at the end to create the signature swirl on Magnolia cupcakes. Top with sprinkles.
Notes
- Nutrition information is not provided in the text.
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