Sex and the City Magnolia Cupcakes Recipe

My First Magnolia Cupcake

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

I took a bite right there on the street. The cake was so soft. The icing was sweet as a cloud. I knew I had to make them at home. I still smile thinking of that day.

Why The Butter Matters

Let your butter get soft. Leave it on the counter for an hour. It should feel like pressing your thumb into clay.

This matters. Soft butter mixes with sugar perfectly. It makes tiny air pockets. Those pockets make your cupcakes light and fluffy. Hard butter just won’t do the same job. Trust me on this.

The Big Secret to Mixing

Here is the trick. Add your dry stuff and milk in turns. Start and end with the flour. This keeps the batter happy.

Do not overbeat it! Mix just until you see no more flour. A lumpy batter is better than a tough one. Overmixing makes cupcakes tough. That’s the last thing we want. What’s your biggest baking worry? I always worry about overmixing.

That Famous Pink Icing

The icing is pure joy. You beat the butter and sugar for a long time. Doesn’t that smell amazing? It turns so pale and creamy.

Then, you add a drop or two of pink color. Fun fact: The pink icing became their signature because it looked so happy in the bakery window. It just makes you smile. Do you like your icing super sweet or a little less sweet? You can use less sugar.

More Than Just a Treat

These cupcakes are special. They remind me of sharing something sweet with someone you love. That matters more than a perfect swirl.

Baking is about the feeling you create. It’s the warmth in your kitchen. It’s the smile when you offer one. Have you ever baked something that made a special memory? I’d love to hear your story.

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 cupcake batter
Granulated sugar	2 cups
Large eggs, room temperature	4
Milk	1 cup	For cupcake batter
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon	For cupcake batter
Unsalted butter, softened	1 cup (2 sticks)	For Vanilla Buttercream Icing
Confectioners’ sugar	6-8 cups	For Vanilla Buttercream Icing
Milk	1/2 cup	For Vanilla Buttercream Icing
Vanilla extract	2 teaspoons	For Vanilla Buttercream Icing
Pink food coloring	As desired	For decoration
Sprinkles	As desired	For decoration

Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Cupcakes

Hello, my dears. It’s Chloe. Let’s bake some joy today. We’re making the famous Magnolia Bakery cupcakes. I saw them on TV once, all pink and pretty. I knew I had to make them at home. They are sweet, soft, and taste like a hug. Doesn’t that smell amazing? Let’s get our bowls ready.

Ingredients

• 2 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 milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 cups powdered sugar (approx.), sifted
• ½ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pink food coloring
• Sprinkles for decoration

Instructions

Step 1: First, turn your oven to 350°F. Line your muffin tins with paper cups. I like the floral ones. In a small bowl, stir your two flours together. Just give them a little mix. Set that bowl aside for now. We’ll come back to it.

Step 2: Now, take your soft butter. Put it in a big mixing bowl. Beat it until it’s smooth. Slowly add the white sugar. Keep mixing for three minutes. It will become light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one by one. Let each one say hello before adding the next. (A hard-learned tip: Your butter must be soft! If it’s cold, your batter will look curdled. Just keep mixing, it will come together.)

Step 3: Here’s the gentle part. Add some of the flour mix, then a bit of milk and vanilla. Repeat until everything is in the bowl. Mix just until you can’t see flour anymore. Please don’t over-mix! That makes cupcakes tough. Use a spatula to scrape the sides. I still laugh at that time I forgot to scrape. My cupcakes were lopsided!

Step 4: Spoon the batter into your cups. Fill them only 3/4 full. This is very important. If you fill them too much, they will overflow. I learned that the messy way! Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. They are done when a toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean. Let them cool completely before we frost. What’s your favorite cupcake liner color? Share below!

Step 5: Time for the pink icing! Beat the soft butter with four cups of powdered sugar. Add the milk and vanilla. Beat until it’s creamy. Now, add more sugar until 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. There, you’ve done it.

Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (with cooling)
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Category: Dessert, Baking

Three Sweet Twists to Try

These cupcakes are perfect as they are. But sometimes, it’s fun to play. Here are three simple twists. They make the cupcakes feel new again.

• Lemon Sunshine: Add lemon zest to the batter. Use lemon juice in the icing instead of milk.
• Berry Swirl: Drop a teaspoon of raspberry jam into each cupcake before baking.
• Cookie Crunch: Mix mini chocolate chips into the batter. Use chocolate sprinkles on top.

Which one would you try first? Comment below!

Serving Your Sweet Masterpieces

Place your cupcakes on a big, fancy cake stand. It makes them look so special. For a party, put each one in a little clear bag. Tie it with a ribbon. They make the happiest gifts. My granddaughter loves to help with this part.

What to drink? A cold glass of milk is always right. It’s the classic choice. For the grown-ups, a little glass of champagne is lovely. The bubbles cut through the sweet icing perfectly. Which would you choose tonight?

Keeping Cupcakes Fresh and Happy

Let’s talk about keeping your cupcakes lovely. First, let them cool completely. A warm cupcake in a container will sweat. This makes the frosting soggy.

Store them in a sealed container at room temperature. They will stay perfect for two days. For longer storage, freeze them unfrosted. Wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap. They can freeze for up to two months.

I once frosted cupcakes before freezing. What a sticky mess when they thawed! Now I freeze the cakes and make fresh frosting later. Batch cooking the batter saves time for busy weeks.

This matters because good food shouldn’t go to waste. A little planning means sweet treats anytime. Have you ever tried storing cupcakes this way? Share below!

Simple Fixes for Common Cupcake Troubles

Sometimes baking has little hiccups. Here are easy fixes. First, sunken middles. This often means too much liquid or leavening. Always measure your flour correctly. Spoon it into the cup, then level it off.

Second, tough or dense cupcakes. Do not overmix the batter! Mix just until you see no more flour. I remember when my grandson mixed for five minutes straight. We had very sturdy cupcakes that day.

Third, runny buttercream. Your butter might be too soft. Chill the bowl for ten minutes. Then beat it again. Getting this right builds your kitchen confidence. It also makes every bite wonderfully light. 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 the same total amount.

Q: Can I make them ahead? A: Absolutely. Bake the cakes a day early. Frost them the day you plan to 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 make a half batch? A: You can. Just halve all the ingredients. You will get about 12 lovely cupcakes.

Q: Are the sprinkles needed? A: They are optional but fun. *A fun fact: The original bakery uses pastel confetti quins.* Which tip will you try first?

Bake Some Joy and Share It

I hope you bake a batch of these soon. Share them with someone you love. The kitchen is my favorite place for making memories.

I would love to see your creations. Your swirl might be even prettier than mine. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! Let’s fill the world with pretty pink cupcakes.

Happy cooking! —Chloe Hartwell.