Sex and the City Magnolia Cupcakes Recipe

A Sweet Slice of TV History

These cupcakes are famous. They were on a big TV show. The characters loved them. I think that’s so fun.

Baking them feels like being part of a story. It connects us to happy TV memories. That’s why this matters. Food is more than eating. It’s about the moments we remember.

Grandma’s Mixing Bowl Wisdom

Let’s start the batter. Cream the butter and sugar first. Do it until it’s fluffy and light. This gives the cupcakes a soft crumb.

Add the eggs one by one. This helps them mix in smoothly. Doesn’t that smell amazing already? Now, add the flour and milk slowly. Mix just until you don’t see flour anymore. Over-mixing makes tough cupcakes. I learned that the hard way once!

The Pink Cloud on Top

The icing is my favorite part. It’s just butter, sugar, and vanilla. You beat it for a long time. It becomes like a sweet, pink cloud.

Fun fact: The real bakery uses a special icing knife. We can use a butter knife. Just make a little swirl at the end. It makes them look so special. What’s your favorite icing color? I always pick pink.

Why Room Temperature Matters

See how the recipe says “softened” butter? And room temperature eggs? This is a big little secret. Cold ingredients don’t blend well.

They make a lumpy batter. Soft butter creams up beautifully. That’s why this matters. It makes your baking so much better. I take my butter out an hour before. I still forget sometimes. I laugh at my own lumpy batter then!

Your Turn in the Kitchen

Now you bake them. Fill the liners three-quarters full. This gives them space to rise into a perfect dome. Watch them through the oven window. It’s the best part.

Let them cool completely before icing. Patience is a baker’s tool. Did you or your family watch the TV show? What’s your favorite cupcake flavor? Tell me if you try the pink swirl. I love to hear your stories.

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
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 dears. It’s Chloe. Let’s bake something sweet today. I remember watching that TV show with my daughter. We’d laugh and dream of New York City. These cupcakes taste like a happy memory. Doesn’t that smell amazing? Let’s begin.

Step 1: First, get your oven warm and ready. Set it to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tins with pretty papers. I love the floral ones. In a small bowl, mix your two flours together. Just give them a little stir. Set that bowl aside for now.

Step 2: Now, let’s make the batter. Cream your softened butter until it’s smooth. Add the sugar slowly. Beat it until it’s light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one by one. Let each one say hello before adding the next. (My hard-learned tip: room temperature eggs mix in much better. Trust me!).

Step 3: Time to combine everything. Add some flour mix, then a bit of milk and vanilla. Repeat until it’s all in. Mix just until you don’t see flour anymore. Overmixing makes tough cupcakes. Scrape the bowl with a spatula. The batter will be lovely and thick.

Step 4: Spoon the batter into your papers. Fill them about three-quarters full. This gives them space to rise into perfect domes. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. What’s your favorite cupcake liner color? Share below!

Step 5: Let the cupcakes cool completely. Patience is hard, I know. Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat the butter, some sugar, milk, and vanilla. Keep adding sugar until it’s thick and creamy. Add a drop or two of pink coloring. I still laugh at the time I used too much. We had bright pink cupcakes for weeks!

Step 6: The best part! Frost each cupcake generously. Swirl the knife at the top for that bakery look. Finally, add a pinch of sprinkles. There, you did it. You made a little piece of magic.

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, have some fun. Here are my favorite little twists. They make the cupcakes your own.

Lemon Sunshine: Add lemon zest to the batter. Use lemon juice in the frosting instead of milk.

Berry Swirl: Drop a spoonful of raspberry jam into each cupcake before baking. It makes a sweet surprise inside.

Cookies & Cream: Mix crushed chocolate sandwich cookies into the frosting. Top with a mini cookie.

Which one would you try first? Comment below!

Serving Them Up in Style

These cupcakes are a celebration. Serve them on a fancy cake stand. It makes everyone feel special. For a party, put them in a line with little name cards. You could even drizzle a tiny bit of extra pink icing on the plate.

What to drink? A cold glass of milk is always perfect. For the grown-ups, a little glass of sparkling rosé pairs beautifully. It’s a very Carrie Bradshaw thing to do. Which would you choose tonight?

Keeping Cupcakes Cozy

Let’s talk about keeping cupcakes fresh. First, cool them completely. Warm cupcakes make soggy frosting. Store them in a sealed container at room temperature. They will stay soft for two days.

You can freeze them for later, too. Wrap unfrosted cupcakes tightly in plastic. They will keep for two months. Thaw them on the counter before frosting.

I once frosted cupcakes before freezing. What a sticky mess! Now I always freeze them plain. Batch cooking saves time for busy days. Making a double batch is easy. You get a treat now and one for later.

This matters because good food shouldn’t be wasted. A little planning brings sweet joy all week. Have you ever tried storing cupcakes this way? Share your tips below!

Simple Fixes for Happy Baking

Sometimes baking has little hiccups. Here are three common ones. First, dense or tough cupcakes. This often means you over-mixed the batter. Mix just until you see no more flour.

Second, frosting that is too runny. Your butter might have been too soft. Chill the bowl for ten minutes. Then beat it again. It will firm right up.

Third, cupcakes that stick to the liners. I remember losing a whole cupcake top once! Let them cool fully in the pan first. This helps them pull away neatly.

Fixing small problems builds your confidence. It also makes your treats taste and look perfect. 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. Replace both flours with it.

Q: Can I make parts ahead? A: Absolutely. Bake the cupcakes a day early. Make the frosting the day of.

Q: What if I don’t have self-rising flour? A: For each cup, use 1 cup all-purpose flour. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Q: Can I halve the recipe? A: You can. Just cut all the ingredients in half. It works perfectly for a smaller batch.

Q: Are the pink color and sprinkles needed? A: Not at all! Plain vanilla is lovely. *Fun fact: The original bakery sold mostly plain white cupcakes!* Which tip will you try first?

From My Kitchen to Yours

I hope you love baking these sweet treats. They are full of happy, simple flavors. Share them with someone you care about.

I would love to see your creations. Did you pick pink frosting or another color? Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest @ChloesKitchen! Your photos make my day.

Thank you for baking with me. Until next time, find joy in your kitchen.

Happy cooking!
—Chloe Hartwell.