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 learn to make them at home. Now I bake them for every birthday. It just feels special.
Why This Recipe Works
Let’s talk about the two flours. Self-rising flour has baking powder in it. This makes the cupcakes rise tall and proud.
All-purpose flour gives them a nice, sturdy crumb. They won’t fall apart when you frost them. This matters because a good cupcake needs both lift and strength. It’s like a little edible building!
The Secret is in the Mixing
Creaming the butter and sugar is key. Beat them until they look pale and fluffy. Doesn’t that smell amazing? It should take about three minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time. This lets each egg become friends with the butter. Then add the dry stuff and milk slowly. Mix just until you don’t see flour anymore. Over-mixing makes tough cupcakes. We want them tender.
That Famous Pink Frosting
The buttercream is a dream. Start with four cups of powdered sugar. Then add more until it feels just right. It should be thick enough to hold a swirl.
Now for the pink! Add just a drop or two of food coloring. You can always add more. I still laugh at the time I made hot pink frosting by accident. Fun fact: The original bakery uses a special pink color they mix themselves! What color would you make your cupcakes?
Baking With Love
Fill the liners three-quarters full. This gives them room to grow into perfect little domes. Watch them bake through the oven window. It’s the best part.
Let them cool completely before you frost. Patience is hard, I know. But warm cupcakes melt the icing. This matters because sharing something beautiful you made feels wonderful. It’s a little gift of sweetness.
Your Turn to Share
I love hearing your stories. Did you watch the show with these cupcakes? Or is this your first time baking them? Tell me all about it.
What’s your favorite thing to bake for someone you love? Is it cookies, or maybe a pie? And finally, what’s your perfect cupcake topping? Sprinkles, a cherry, or something else? I read every note you send.
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 | |
| Vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon | |
| Vanilla Buttercream Icing | ||
| Unsalted butter, softened | 1 cup (2 sticks) | For the icing |
| Confectioners’ sugar | 6-8 cups | |
| Milk | 1/2 cup | |
| Vanilla extract | 2 teaspoons | |
| Pink food coloring | As desired | Optional, for decoration |
| Sprinkles | As desired | For decoration |
My Famous Pink Cloud Cupcakes
Hello, my dear! Let’s bake my famous pink cloud cupcakes. I got this recipe from a bakery in New York. I still laugh at that trip. My feet hurt from walking all day! But these cupcakes were worth it. They are soft, sweet, and topped with a fluffy pink cloud. Doesn’t that sound lovely? We’ll make them together, step-by-step. It’s like a little kitchen hug.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Cake flour
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Pink food coloring
- Sprinkles
Instructions
Step 1: First, get your oven ready. Heat it to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tins with pretty paper cups. Now, mix your two flours in a small bowl. Just give them a little stir. Set that bowl aside for now. This is our dry team.
Step 2: Time for the electric mixer! Put the soft butter in the big bowl. Beat it until it’s smooth. Now, slowly pour in the sugar. Beat it for three whole minutes. It will become pale and fluffy. I love how it looks like yellow snow.
Step 3: Crack in the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each one. This makes the batter strong. Now, add your dry team and milk. Add them 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!).
Step 4: Spoon the batter into your cups. Fill them three-quarters full. This gives them space to rise into perfect little domes. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Let them cool completely. What happens if you frost a warm cupcake? Share below!
Step 5: For the icing, beat the soft butter with four cups of sugar, milk, and vanilla. It will be very 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 high on each cool cupcake. Finish with a handful of sprinkles. There! A pink cloud.
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (with cooling)
Yield: About 24 cupcakes
Category: Dessert, Baking
Three Fun Twists to Try
These cupcakes are perfect as they are. But sometimes, it’s fun to play! Here are three simple twists. They feel like a whole new treat. My grandkids love the confetti version best.
- Confetti Surprise: Fold a big handful of rainbow sprinkles into the batter before baking.
- Lemon Sunshine: Use lemon extract instead of vanilla in the icing. Top with a tiny lemon curl.
- Berry Swirl: Drop a teaspoon of raspberry jam into each cupcake cup before baking.
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving Them Up With Style
These cupcakes are a celebration all by themselves. For a party, I arrange them on a tall cake stand. It looks so fancy! You could also serve them with a bowl of fresh berries on the side. A few strawberries make a lovely, fresh bite between all that sweetness.
What to drink? For the grown-ups, a little glass of champagne or prosecco is a classic match. It’s bubbly and light. For everyone, a cold glass of milk is the best friend a cupcake ever had. Or try a sparkling pink lemonade. It just feels right. 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. I once iced a warm cupcake. The frosting melted into a sad puddle.
Store frosted cupcakes in a single layer. Use a container with a tight lid. They will stay fresh on the counter for two days. For longer storage, freeze them unfrosted.
Wrap each plain cupcake tightly in plastic wrap. Then pop them in a freezer bag. They keep for two months. Thaw them at room temperature before frosting.
Batch baking saves so much time. Bake a double batch of cupcakes. Freeze half for a future treat. This matters because a homemade sweet is always a welcome surprise. Have you ever tried storing cupcakes this way? Share below!
Simple Fixes for Common Cupcake Troubles
Even grandmas have baking days that go a little wrong. Here are easy fixes. First, if your cupcakes are dense, you may have over-mixed. Mix just until you see no more dry flour.
Second, if they overflow, you filled the liners too much. Three-quarters full is the perfect amount. I remember when my first batch looked like little mushroom tops.
Third, if your frosting is too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more milk. Getting the texture right matters. It makes decorating fun instead of frustrating. 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 made for baking.
Q: Can I make parts ahead? A: Absolutely. Bake the cupcakes a day early. Make frosting the day of.
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 every ingredient carefully. You’ll get about 12 cupcakes.
Q: Any fun twists? A: Try almond extract instead of vanilla. Use different color sprinkles for holidays. *Fun fact: The original bakery sells thousands of these each week!* Which tip will you try first?
Bake Some Joy and Share It
I hope you love baking these as much as I do. The best part is sharing them. Give one to a friend or a neighbor. It spreads a little kitchen happiness.
I would love to see your beautiful creations. Your swirl might be even prettier than mine. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! You can find me at @ChloesKitchen.
Thank you for baking with me today. Happy cooking!
—Chloe Hartwell.
Sex and the City Magnolia Cupcakes Recipe
Description
Bake the iconic Magnolia Bakery cupcakes from Sex and the City. Easy vanilla cupcake recipe with fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting. Perfect for brunch or a girls’ night in!
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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