A Little Slice of TV History
These cupcakes are famous. They were on a TV show about friends in New York. People would wait in line for them.
I love that a simple cupcake became a star. It reminds me that good food brings people together. That is its real magic. What’s a food from a movie or show you’ve always wanted to try?
Getting Your Ingredients Ready
First, get your butter and eggs out. They need to be soft and warm. This makes everything mix smoothly.
I once used cold butter. My batter was lumpy! I still laugh at that. Room-temperature ingredients matter. They create a light, happy batter. Doesn’t that smell amazing already?
The Heart of the Cupcake
Now, cream the butter and sugar. Beat it until it’s fluffy and pale. This puts tiny air bubbles in.
Those bubbles are the secret. They make the cake soft and tender. Add eggs one at a time. This helps them blend in perfectly. Fun fact: The original bakery uses a vanilla bean paste. We’re using extract for an easier home version!
Baking with Care
Fill your liners three-quarters full. Not more! This gives them space to rise into a perfect dome.
Watch them bake. They are done when a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool completely. I know it’s hard to wait. But warm cupcakes melt the icing. Do you like lots of icing or just a little?
The Pink Swirl Icing
The icing is sweet and simple. Start with four cups of sugar. Add more until it’s thick and creamy.
Now for the pink color! A few drops make it pretty. The final swirl is the signature touch. Use your knife to make a little peak on top. This makes it special. It shows you took the time. What color sprinkles would you choose?
Why This All Matters
Baking is more than following steps. It is a gift of love. You make something with your own hands.
Sharing these cupcakes creates a memory. That is the sweetest part. It connects us to others, just like on that TV show. Food made with care always tastes better. Don’t you agree?
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 |
| Vanilla Buttercream Icing | ||
| Unsalted butter, softened | 1 cup (2 sticks) | For the icing |
| Confectioners’ sugar | 6-8 cups | |
| Milk | 1/2 cup | For the icing |
| Vanilla extract | 2 teaspoons | For the icing |
| Pink food coloring | As needed | Optional, for decoration |
| Sprinkles | As needed | For decoration |
My Famous Magnolia Cupcakes (Just Like the TV Show!)
Hello, my dear! Come sit. Let’s bake my famous cupcakes. They’re the ones from that glamorous TV show. But we’ll make them with a little grandma love. Doesn’t that sound nice? I still laugh at that show. It makes me think of my daughter in the city. She always asked for these. The secret is in the fluffy swirl on top. Ready? Let’s begin.
Step 1: First, get your oven warm. Set it to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tins with pretty papers. I like the pastel ones. Now, mix your two flours in a small bowl. Just give them a little stir. Set them aside for now. This is our dry team.
Step 2: Now for the fun part! Grab your big mixer bowl. Put in the soft butter. Beat it until it’s smooth like silk. Slowly pour in the sugar. Let it beat for three whole minutes. It will become pale and fluffy. Doesn’t that smell amazing already? Add the eggs, one by one. Let each one say hello before adding the next.
Step 3: Time to bring the teams together. Add a third of your flour mix. Then pour in a bit of milk and vanilla. Mix gently. Repeat until everything is just combined. (Here’s a hard-learned tip: Do not overmix! A few lumps are just fine. Overmixing makes tough cupcakes.) The batter will be beautiful and thick.
Step 4: Spoon the batter into your papers. Fill them about three-quarters full. This gives them room to rise into perfect domes. Bake them for 20 to 25 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Let them cool completely. I know, waiting is the hardest part! What’s your favorite thing to do while you wait for treats to cool? Share below!
Step 5: Finally, the icing! Beat the soft butter with some sugar, milk, and vanilla. Keep adding sugar until it’s thick and spreadable. Now, add a tiny drop of pink food coloring. Mix it until it’s a perfect ballet-slipper pink. Swirl it high on each cupcake with a knife. Top with a mountain of sprinkles. There you have it!
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (with cooling)
Yield: About 24 cupcakes
Category: Dessert, Baking
Let’s Get Creative with Your Cupcakes!
Once you master the classic, try a twist! It’s like giving the recipe a new dress. Here are three of my favorite ideas. They always bring a smile.
Lemon Sunshine: Add lemon zest to the batter. Use lemon juice in the icing instead of milk.
Berry Surprise: Hide a fresh raspberry in the center of each cupcake before baking.
Chocolate Swirl: Mix two tablespoons of cocoa into half the icing. Swirl it with the pink for a marble effect.
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving Your Sweet Masterpieces
These cupcakes are a celebration all by themselves. But every star needs a good supporting cast. For a real party, place them on a fancy cake stand. Scatter a few extra sprinkles around the base. It looks so joyful. They’re wonderful with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. The mix of warm cake and cold cream is magic.
For drinks, I love a cold glass of sparkling pink lemonade. It matches the icing! For the grown-ups, a little glass of champagne or prosecco is just right. It makes everyone feel fancy. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Cupcakes Fresh and Happy
Let’s talk about keeping these sweet treats perfect. First, cool cupcakes completely. I learned this the hard way. I once iced a warm cupcake. The frosting melted right off!
Store frosted cupcakes in a sealed container. They last 2 days on the counter. For longer storage, freeze them unfrosted. Wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap. They will keep for 2 months.
Thaw them overnight on the counter. Then frost them fresh. This matters because fresh frosting tastes best. Batch cooking saves time for busy weeks. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!
Easy Fixes for Common Cupcake Troubles
Even grandmas have baking days. Here are simple fixes. First, sunken middles. This often means too much liquid. Measure your milk carefully.
Second, dry cupcakes. Do not overmix the batter. I remember when I mixed too long. The cupcakes were tough. Mix just until you see no more flour.
Third, runny frosting. Your butter might be too soft. Chill it for ten minutes. Then beat it again. Getting this right builds your kitchen confidence. It also makes every bite wonderfully fluffy. 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. Replace both flours with it.
Q: Can I make them ahead? A: Absolutely. Bake them a day early. Frost them the day you serve.
Q: What if I don’t have self-rising flour? A: Make your own. For this recipe, mix 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
Q: Can I halve the recipe? A: You can. Just halve all the ingredients. You will get about 12 cupcakes.
Q: Any fun twist? A: Add lemon zest to the batter. Use yellow food coloring instead of pink. *Fun fact: The bakery sells over 15,000 cupcakes each weekend!* Which tip will you try first?
Bake, Share, and Enjoy
I hope you love baking these as much as I do. Sharing them with friends is the best part. It creates sweet memories.
I would love to see your beautiful creations. Your kitchen stories warm my heart. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! Use @ChloesCozyKitchen so I can find them.
Happy cooking!
—Chloe Hartwell.
Sex and the City Magnolia Cupcakes Recipe
Description
Bake Carrie’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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