Sex and the City Magnolia Cupcakes Recipe

My First Magnolia Cupcake

I first tried one in New York City. My granddaughter bought it for me. It was so pretty and pink.

The cake was soft as a cloud. The frosting was sweet and creamy. I knew I had to make them at home. This matters because sharing treats creates happy memories. What was the first fancy bakery treat you ever tried?

Mixing Up the Magic

Let’s start baking. First, mix your two flours in a bowl. Set it aside for now.

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. This takes about three minutes. Add the eggs one by one. Doesn’t that smell amazing already? Fun fact: Creaming butter and sugar traps tiny air bubbles. This makes your cupcakes light!

A Little Story About Patience

Now, add the flour and milk slowly. Mix just until you see no dry spots. Do not overbeat! I learned this the hard way.

I once got a phone call and kept mixing. My cupcakes turned out tough. I still laugh at that mistake. This matters because gentle mixing keeps the cake tender. Spoon the batter into liners. Are you a patient baker, or do you like to go fast?

The Pretty Pink Frosting

While cupcakes cool, make the icing. Beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and milk slowly.

The icing will get thick and dreamy. Now for the fun part. Add a drop or two of pink coloring. Stir it all through. It looks like a pink sunset. Will you use pink sprinkles, or another color?

The Final Swirl

Frost the cooled cupcakes generously. Use your knife to make a big swirl on top. That swirl is the Magnolia signature.

Then, shake on those sprinkles. There you have it. A little piece of TV magic from your own kitchen. Share them with someone special. It makes any day feel like a celebration.

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

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 simple, fluffy cake and that pink cloud of frosting. Doesn’t that sound lovely? We’ll make them together. It’s like a hug in cake form.

Step 1

First, get your oven ready at 350°F. Line your muffin tins with pretty papers. Now, mix your two flours in a bowl. Just whisk them a bit. I still laugh at the time I used salt instead of sugar. What a mess! Setting this aside makes everything smoother later.

Step 2

In a big bowl, beat the softened butter until it’s smooth. Then slowly add the sugar. Beat it for three whole minutes. It will become pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one by one. Let each one say hello to the butter before adding the next. (A hard-learned tip: Your eggs must be room temperature! Cold eggs can make the batter curdle.)

Step 3

Now, add your flour mix and milk. Do it in parts: flour, then milk, then flour. End with flour. Add the vanilla with the milk. Mix just until you can’t see flour anymore. Overmixing makes tough cupcakes. Scrape the bowl with a spatula to get every bit. The batter will be thick and dreamy.

Step 4

Spoon the batter into your liners. Fill them only three-quarters full. I know, you want to fill them more. But trust me, they need 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 before frosting. What’s your favorite cupcake liner color? Share below!

Step 5

For the frosting, beat the butter smooth. Add four cups of powdered sugar, the milk, and vanilla. Beat until it’s creamy. Now add more sugar, a cup at a time. Stop when it’s thick and spreadable. You might not need all eight cups. Add a few drops of pink coloring. Swirl it on thick! Top with sprinkles for that classic look.

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 makes baking an adventure. Here are three fun ideas I love. They are simple changes with big, happy flavors. My grandkids always ask for the cookies-and-cream version.

Lemon Sunshine

Add the zest of one lemon to the cake batter. Use yellow food coloring in the frosting instead of pink.

Cookies & Cream

Fold 1/2 cup of crushed chocolate sandwich cookies into the batter. Crush a few more for the top of the frosting.

Berry Swirl

Drop a small spoonful of raspberry jam into each cupcake liner before baking. It makes a sweet, fruity center.

Which one would you try first? Comment below!

Serving Them Up with Style

These cupcakes are a celebration all by themselves. But you can make them extra special. For a party, arrange them on a cake stand in a spiral. It looks so pretty. You could also serve them with a little bowl of fresh berries on the side. The tart berries are lovely with the sweet frosting.

What to drink? A cold glass of milk is always perfect. It’s my favorite. For the grown-ups, a little flute of champagne or prosecco is a classic pairing. The bubbles cut through the sweetness so nicely. 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. 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. Batch cooking the cake part saves big time. This matters for busy weeks and last-minute guests.

Have you ever tried storing cupcakes this way? Share below!

Baking Blunders and Simple Fixes

Even grandmas have baking days that go wrong. Here are common fixes. First, flat cupcakes often mean old baking powder. Check your self-rising flour’s date.

I once used flour from the back of the pantry. My cupcakes did not rise one bit. Second, crumbly cake means you over-mixed the batter. Mix just until you see no dry flour.

This matters for a soft, tender bite. Third, runny icing happens if the butter is too soft. Your icing should be thick and hold a peak. This matters for that beautiful, swirly top.

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. Add one teaspoon of baking powder too.

Q: Can I make them ahead? A: Bake the cakes up to three months ahead. Freeze them like I mentioned before. Frost them the day you need them.

Q: What if I don’t have self-rising flour? A: Make your own. For this recipe, use 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour. Add 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt.

Q: Can I make a smaller batch? A: Absolutely. Just cut all the ingredients in half. You will get about 12 lovely cupcakes.

Q: Any fun twists? A: Try almond extract instead of vanilla. Fun fact: Magnolia Bakery’s original vanilla icing is famously pale pink. A drop of coloring makes it special.

Which tip will you try first?

From My Kitchen to Yours

I hope you love baking these as much as I do. Sharing treats with loved ones is a true joy. It creates sweet memories around the table.

I would love to see your creations. Your kitchen stories make my day. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! You can find me at @ChloesKitchen.

Happy cooking! —Chloe Hartwell.