A Taste of TV History
Let’s talk about a famous bakery. Magnolia Bakery in New York is very special. On a TV show, Carrie Bradshaw ate their cupcakes. That made them famous overnight.
I visited years ago. The line was out the door! I still laugh at that. Everyone wanted a taste of that sweet, pink frosting. It felt like being part of a fun secret. Do you have a food you saw on TV and had to try?
Why Room Temperature Matters
Let’s get our ingredients ready. See the butter and eggs? They need to be room temperature. This is not just a fussy rule. It matters a lot.
Cold butter doesn’t cream well with sugar. Your batter will look curdled. Room temperature ingredients blend smoothly. This makes your cupcakes light and fluffy. Trust me on this one.
The Heart of the Cupcake
Now, the fun part. Cream your butter and sugar. Beat it for three whole minutes. It will become pale and fluffy. Doesn’t that smell amazing already?
Add your eggs one at a time. This helps them mix in fully. Then add your flours and milk slowly. Mix just until you see no dry spots. Overmixing makes tough cupcakes. We want them tender and soft.
The Famous Pink Swirl
Time for the icing! Start with four cups of sugar. Beat it with the butter, milk, and vanilla. It will be very creamy. Then add more sugar until it’s thick.
Now, add a drop or two of pink coloring. Fun fact: The pink icing became their signature look because it was so cheerful! Use a knife to make a big swirl on top. Do you like lots of icing or just a little?
More Than Just a Treat
Baking these is about sharing joy. That’s why this matters. A homemade cupcake says, “I thought of you.” It creates a happy memory.
Food connects us to stories and to each other. That’s another reason this matters. These cupcakes have a story. Now you are part of it. What’s a food that always makes you think of someone special?
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 | 4 | Room temperature |
| 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 | For the Vanilla Buttercream Icing |
| Milk | 1/2 cup | For the Vanilla Buttercream Icing |
| Vanilla extract | 2 teaspoons | For the Vanilla Buttercream Icing |
| Pink food coloring | As desired | For the Vanilla Buttercream Icing |
| Sprinkles | For decoration | For garnish |
Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Cupcakes
Hello, my dears. It’s Chloe. Let’s bake something special today. We’re making the famous Magnolia Bakery cupcakes. I remember watching that TV show, all those friends laughing. These cupcakes taste like a sweet, pink hug. Doesn’t that sound lovely? We’ll make the cake soft and the icing fluffy. I still laugh at that show sometimes. Let’s get our bowls ready.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pink Vanilla Icing
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4-5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pink food coloring (gel or liquid)
- Sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
Step 1: First, turn your oven to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tins with pretty papers. I like the floral ones. In a small bowl, mix your two flours together. Just give them a little stir. Set that bowl aside for now. We’ll come back to it soon.
Step 2: Now, take your softened butter. Put it in a big mixing bowl. Beat it until it’s smooth like silk. Slowly pour in the sugar while mixing. Beat it for three whole minutes. It will become pale and fluffy. This makes the cupcakes light. (A hard-learned tip: Your butter must be soft, not melted. Otherwise, your frosting will be sad later!)
Step 3: Crack in your eggs, one at a time. Mix well after each one. This helps everything get friendly. Now, add your flour mix in three parts. Alternate with the milk and vanilla. Mix just until you can’t see flour anymore. Don’t overdo it! A few lumps are just fine. What’s the secret to a tender cupcake? Is it the eggs, the mixing, or the butter? Share below!
Step 4: Spoon the batter into your papers. Fill them three-quarters full. This gives them room to rise into perfect little domes. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean. Let them cool completely in the pan first. Patience is a baker’s best friend.
Step 5: Time for the pink icing! Beat the butter with four cups of sugar, milk, and vanilla. It will look a bit messy at first. Keep beating until it’s smooth. Add more sugar until it’s thick and spreadable. Now, add a drop or two of pink food coloring. Stir it gently. Doesn’t that color make you smile? Frost those cool cupcakes with a big swirl. Top with sprinkles for joy.
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (with cooling)
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Category: Dessert, Baking
Three Sweet Twists to Try
Once you master the classic, try a little twist. It’s fun to play. Here are three ideas I love. They feel like a whole new treat. My grandkids beg for the lemon one.
- Lemon Sunshine: Add lemon zest to the batter. Use lemon juice in the icing instead of milk.
- Berry Swirl: Drop a spoonful of raspberry jam into each cupcake before baking.
- Chocolate Confetti: Swap one tablespoon of flour for cocoa powder. Use rainbow sprinkles in the batter.
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving with a Smile
These cupcakes are a party on a plate. For a real treat, serve them with fresh berries on the side. A little bowl of whipped cream for dipping is divine. Or, set them on a beautiful cake stand. It makes any day feel like a celebration.
What to drink? A cold glass of milk is the classic choice. It’s perfect. For the grown-ups, a little glass of sparkling rosé pairs wonderfully. The bubbles cut through the sweet icing. It feels very fancy. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Cupcakes Fresh and Happy
Let’s talk about keeping these sweet treats lovely. First, cool cupcakes completely before storing. I learned that the hard way. My first batch got soggy from trapped steam.
Store them in a sealed container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for two days. For longer storage, freeze them unfrosted. Wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap.
Thaw them overnight on the counter. Make the icing fresh the day you serve them. This matters because a fresh cupcake is pure joy. It makes any day feel special.
You can bake the cakes ahead for a party. Just frost them the morning of. Have you ever tried storing cupcakes this way? Share below!
Simple Fixes for Common Cupcake Troubles
Sometimes baking does not go as planned. Do not worry. Here are easy fixes. First, if your cupcakes are dense, you may have over-mixed.
Mix just until you see no more dry flour. I once mixed for five minutes straight. My cupcakes turned out like little bricks. Second, if tops dome too much, your oven may be too hot.
Use an oven thermometer to check. This matters for even baking. Third, if icing is too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk.
Getting the texture right matters. It makes decorating so much more fun. 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 in the recipe with it.
Q: Can I make them ahead? A: Absolutely. Bake and freeze the cakes. Make the icing the day you need it.
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 lovely cupcakes.
Q: Any optional tips? A: Try almond extract instead of vanilla. Fun fact: Magnolia Bakery famously uses clear vanilla extract for that classic taste. Which tip will you try first?
Share Your Sweet Creations
I hope you have the best time baking these. It is about the fun you have making them. The sweet smell in your kitchen is the best part.
I would love to see what you create. Did you pick pink icing or another color? What sprinkles did you choose? Please share your photos with our community.
Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! I look at every single picture. It makes my day. 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 vanilla cupcake recipe with pink buttercream is pure bliss.
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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