A Little Story Before We Start
I first tried a Magnolia Bakery cupcake in New York. My granddaughter begged me to go. The line was so long! But the first bite was pure magic. It tasted like a sweet, soft cloud.
I knew I had to make them at home. I worked on the recipe for weeks. Getting that perfect fluffy texture mattered. It’s about sharing a special treat with people you love. That’s the real secret ingredient.
Getting Your Kitchen Ready
Let’s gather our things. First, line your muffin tins with pretty papers. I like the floral ones. Doesn’t that make baking more fun? Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Now, mix your two flours in a small bowl. Set it aside. This mix is key for the perfect rise. Fun fact: Self-rising flour already has baking powder and salt in it. That’s our little helper!
The Heart of the Cupcake
In a big bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth. It should look like pale cream. Add the sugar slowly. Beat it for three whole minutes. It will get light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each. This makes the cake rich. Now, add your flour mix and milk in turns. Start and end with the flour. Mix just until you see no more dry spots. Overmixing makes tough cupcakes. We want them tender.
Baking & Cooling Patience
Fill your cupcake liners three-quarters full. This gives them room to grow into a perfect dome. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Your kitchen will smell amazing.
They are done when a toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then move them to a wire rack. They must be completely cool before we ice them. I know, it’s hard to wait! What’s your favorite thing to do while you wait for treats to cool?
The Famous Pink Icing
The icing is just as important as the cake. Beat the butter with half the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat it for a few minutes until it’s super creamy.
Now, add more sugar until it’s thick and spreadable. You might not need it all. Here comes the fun part. Add a few drops of pink food coloring. I still laugh at how a little pink can make everyone smile. Do you prefer pink icing or another color?
The Final Flourish
Frost those cool cupcakes generously. Use a knife to make a big, pretty swirl on top. That swirl is the Magnolia signature. Finally, add sprinkles. The sprinkles are like a party hat for your cupcake.
This recipe matters because it’s about creating joy. It’s a taste of a happy moment from a TV show, made in your own kitchen. Sharing these makes any day sweeter. Tell me, who will you share your first batch with?
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Self-rising flour | 1-1/2 cups | For cupcake batter |
| All-purpose flour | 1-1/4 cups | For cupcake batter |
| Unsalted butter, softened | 1 cup (2 sticks) | For cupcake batter |
| Granulated sugar | 2 cups | For cupcake batter |
| Large eggs, room temperature | 4 | For cupcake batter |
| 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 dear. Let’s bake some joy. These are the famous cupcakes from that TV show. I remember my granddaughter begging me to make them. We had such a fun, messy afternoon. The kitchen smelled like a birthday party. Doesn’t that sound lovely?
Here is how we make the magic happen. Just follow these simple steps. I will guide you through it. Let’s begin.
- Step 1: First, get your oven ready. Heat it to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tins with pretty papers. Now, mix your two flours together in a small bowl. Just give them a little stir. Set that bowl aside for later. This is our dry team.
- Step 2: Time for the electric mixer. Beat the softened butter until it’s smooth. Then slowly add the sugar. Keep beating! We want it light and fluffy. This takes about three minutes. Add the eggs one at a time. Let each one say hello before adding the next.
- Step 3: Now we combine our teams. Add a third of the flour mix. Then a bit of milk and vanilla. Repeat until everything is in the bowl. Mix just until you see no more flour. (A hard-learned tip: Overmixing makes tough cupcakes. Be gentle!). The batter will be beautiful.
- Step 4: Spoon the batter into your papers. Fill them about three-quarters full. This is important. I once filled them too much. They baked into funny mushroom shapes! Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. They are done when a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Let them cool completely. Frosting a warm cupcake is a sweet disaster!
- Step 5: For the icing, beat the butter with four cups of sugar, milk, and vanilla. It will look a bit crazy at first. Keep going! Add more sugar until it’s thick and spreadable. Now, add a few drops of pink coloring. Stir in your sprinkles, or save them for the top. What’s your favorite sprinkle shape? Share below!
Cook Time: 20–25 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: About 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 recipe feel new again.
- Lemon Sunshine: Use lemon extract instead of vanilla. Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter. Top with yellow icing.
- Berry Surprise: Place a single fresh raspberry in the center of each cupcake before baking. It becomes a hidden treasure.
- Chocolate Swirl: Swap one tablespoon of flour for cocoa powder. Gently swirl it into the batter for a marbled look.
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving with a Smile
Presentation is part of the fun. Place your cupcakes on a fancy cake stand. It makes them feel extra special. You could also serve them with a small bowl of fresh berries on the side. The tart fruit is nice with the sweet frosting.
What to drink? A cold glass of milk is always the classic choice. For the grown-ups, a little glass of sparkling rosé pairs wonderfully. It feels very fancy, just like the cupcakes. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Cupcakes Fresh and Happy
Let’s talk about storing these sweet treats. First, cool cupcakes completely. Frosted ones stay fresh on the counter for two days. Just cover them loosely.
Want to keep them longer? Freeze them unfrosted. Wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap. Then pop them in a freezer bag. I once froze a whole batch for my grandson’s surprise visit. They thawed perfectly on the counter in an hour.
Batch cooking is a lifesaver for busy weeks. Bake a double batch of cupcakes. Freeze half for later. This saves you time and energy. It means a homemade treat is always ready. Have you ever tried storing cupcakes this way? Share below!
Simple Fixes for Common Cupcake Troubles
Sometimes baking has little hiccups. Do your cupcakes sink in the middle? This often means you over-mixed the batter. Mix just until you see no more flour. This keeps them light and airy.
Is your icing too runny? Add more powdered sugar slowly. Is it too thick? Add milk one teaspoon at a time. I remember when my first buttercream was like glue. A little more milk fixed it right up.
Getting the flavor just right matters. Room temperature butter creams beautifully with sugar. This makes your cupcakes wonderfully fluffy. Properly measured flour matters too. Spoon it into your cup and level it off. This prevents dense, dry cakes. 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. Make sure it has xanthan gum in it.
Q: Can I make parts ahead? A: Absolutely. Bake the cupcakes a day early. Make the frosting the next day.
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: Are the sprinkles needed? A: They are optional but fun. A fun fact: The original bakery uses pastel sprinkles. Which tip will you try first?
Bake Some Joy and Share It
I hope you love baking these famous cupcakes. They are a little piece of sweet history. Sharing them makes them taste even better.
I would love to see your creations. Did you pick pink frosting or another color? Did you use rainbow sprinkles? Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! Show me your kitchen magic.
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 makes the perfect vanilla cupcakes with pink buttercream frosting.
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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