A Little Slice of TV History
These cupcakes are famous. They were on a big city TV show. The characters loved them. I think that’s so fun.
Baking them feels special. You are making a tiny piece of that world. It’s not just a cupcake. It’s a sweet, pink memory. That matters. Food can connect us to happy stories.
Getting Your Butter Ready
First, let your butter get soft. Leave it on the counter for an hour. It should feel like cool clay. This is the secret to a fluffy cake.
Hard butter won’t mix right. Soft butter creams with sugar beautifully. It traps little air pockets. Those pockets make your cupcakes light and tender. I still laugh at the time I used cold butter. My mixer danced right off the counter!
The Heart of the Batter
Now, mix your soft butter and sugar. Do it for three whole minutes. It will turn pale and fluffy. Doesn’t that smell amazing already?
Add eggs one at a time. Then mix in your flours and milk. Do it in parts. Start and end with the flour. This keeps the batter smooth. Fun fact: The two types of flour give these cupcakes their perfect, sturdy-yet-soft crumb.
What’s your favorite part of baking? Is it mixing, or is it the smell from the oven?
Baking with Patience
Fill your cupcake liners three-quarters full. This gives them room to rise. They will make pretty little domes. Bake them until a toothpick comes out clean.
Here is the hard part. Let them cool completely. I know, it’s tempting to frost them warm. But warm cupcakes melt icing. Waiting makes everything better. This matters in baking and in life. Good things take a little time.
The Pink Cloud Icing
The icing is a sweet, vanilla cloud. You make it with lots of powdered sugar and butter. Beat it for several minutes. It becomes wonderfully smooth and thick.
Now, add a few drops of pink food coloring. This is the Magnolia signature. Make it as pale or bright as you like. Then, with a knife, swirl it on. Finish with a handful of sprinkles. Do you prefer pastel pink or a brighter, bubblegum pink?
Your Sweet Finale
There you have it. A dozen little pink treasures. They taste like vanilla and butter and joy. Share them with someone you chat with for hours.
That is the second thing that matters. Food is best when shared. It starts conversations and makes smiles. These cupcakes are perfect for that. So tell me, who will you share your first batch with?
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 cupcake batter |
| Granulated sugar | 2 cups | |
| Large eggs, room temperature | 4 | |
| Milk | 1 cup | For the cupcake batter |
| Vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon | For the cupcake batter |
| 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 | As desired | For decoration |
My Famous Magnolia Cupcakes: A Sweet Story
Hello, my dear! Come sit. Let’s bake my famous cupcakes. They remind me of my daughter’s city adventures. She’d bring me these from a fancy bakery. I thought, “I can make those!” So I did. My version is full of love, not just sugar. Doesn’t that smell amazing? Let’s begin.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For icing: 2 cups butter, 8 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup milk, 2 tsp vanilla, pink food coloring, sprinkles
Instructions
Step 1: First, get your oven ready. Heat it to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tins with pretty papers. I like the floral ones. Now, mix your two flours together in a small bowl. Just give them a little stir. Set them aside for now.
Step 2: Time for the electric mixer! Cream the softened butter until it’s smooth. It should look like pale yellow clouds. Slowly add the sugar. Beat it for three whole minutes. It will get light and fluffy. I still laugh at the time I forgot to turn the mixer down. We had a sugar snowstorm in my kitchen!
Step 3: Add the eggs, one by one. Let each one get cozy in the butter before adding the next. Now, add your flour mix and milk. Do it in turns: some flour, some milk, then repeat. Mix just until you can’t see flour anymore. (A hard-learned tip: Overmixing makes tough cupcakes. Stop as soon as it’s combined!).
Step 4: Spoon the batter into your papers. Fill them about three-quarters full. This gives them room to rise into perfect little 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 before you even think about icing. What’s your favorite cupcake liner color? Share below!
Step 5: For the icing, beat the butter, some sugar, milk, and vanilla. It will be a bit runny at first. Keep adding the rest of the sugar, cup by cup. Stop when it’s thick and dreamy. Add a tiny drop of pink coloring. Now swirl that icing on high! Finish with a mountain of sprinkles.
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (with cooling)
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Category: Dessert, Baking
Three Fun Twists to Try
Once you master the classic, try a little twist! It’s like giving the recipe a new dress. Here are three of my favorites to play with.
- 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 Dip: Dip the cooled cupcake tops in melted chocolate. Let it harden before adding icing.
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving Them Up with Style
These cupcakes are a celebration all by themselves. For a real treat, serve them on a fancy cake stand. Add a few fresh strawberries on the side. It looks so pretty. For a party, make a cupcake tower. Everyone will gather around it.
What to drink? A cold glass of milk is always perfect. It’s my grandson’s favorite way. For the grown-ups, a little glass of champagne makes it feel extra special. The bubbles cut through the sweet icing beautifully. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Your Cupcakes Happy
Let’s talk about keeping these sweet treats fresh. First, cool cupcakes completely. Any warmth makes frosting melt. Then, store them in a sealed container. They will stay soft for two days on the counter.
You can freeze them for later, too. Wrap unfrosted cupcakes tightly in plastic. They can freeze for up to two months. Thaw them overnight on the counter before frosting.
I once frosted cupcakes before freezing. What a sticky mess! Now I always freeze them plain. Batch cooking matters for busy weeks. A sweet treat is always ready for you.
Have you ever tried storing cupcakes this way? Share below!
Simple Fixes for Common Cupcake Troubles
Sometimes cupcakes don’t turn out perfect. That’s okay! Here are easy fixes. First, if your cupcakes are dense, you may have over-mixed. Mix just until the flour disappears.
Second, if they peak in the middle, your oven may be too hot. An oven thermometer helps a lot. I remember when my first batch looked like little volcanoes!
Third, if your frosting is too runny, add more sugar. If it’s too thick, add a splash of milk. Getting the texture right matters for beautiful swirls. Fixing small problems builds your kitchen confidence.
Which of these problems have you run into before?
Your Cupcake Questions, Answered
Q: Can I make these gluten-free?
A: Yes! Use a gluten-free flour blend made for baking.
Q: Can I make parts ahead?
A: Absolutely. Bake cupcakes a day early. Make frosting the day of.
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.
Q: Can I halve the recipe?
A: You can. Just halve all the ingredients carefully.
Q: Any fun twist?
A: Try almond extract instead of vanilla. Fun fact: Magnolia Bakery first used this buttercream in 1996!
Which tip will you try first?
Bake, Share, and Enjoy
I hope you love baking these classic cupcakes. They are pure joy. Sharing them with friends is even better.
I would love to see your creations. Your kitchen stories make my day. Please share your photos with our community.
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 is perfect for a girls’ night in or a sweet treat.
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.
Leave a Reply