A Little Slice of TV History
Let’s talk about a famous bakery. Magnolia Bakery in New York is very special. Their cupcakes became stars on a TV show. I remember watching it. The characters loved those pink-frosted treats.
Baking them at home feels magical. You are making a piece of TV history. It matters because food connects us to happy memories. What’s your favorite food from a movie or show? I’d love to hear about it.
Grandma’s Mixing Bowl Wisdom
First, bring your butter and eggs to room temperature. This is my biggest tip. Cold butter doesn’t cream well. It makes the batter lumpy.
Let them sit on the counter for an hour. Patience is a baker’s secret tool. This matters because tiny details make a big difference. Your cupcakes will be much lighter and fluffier. Trust me on this one.
The Heart of the Cupcake
Now, let’s make the batter. Cream the butter and sugar until it’s pale and fluffy. Doesn’t that smell amazing already? Add the eggs one by one. This helps them blend in smoothly.
Here’s the fun part. Add the flour and milk in turns. Start and end with the flour. Mix just until you see no more dry spots. Overmixing makes tough cupcakes. A gentle hand is key. Fun fact: The two types of flour give the cupcake its perfect, tender crumb.
The Famous Pink Swirl
The icing is pure joy. It starts with more soft butter. You’ll add lots of powdered sugar and a splash of milk. Beat it for a few minutes. It becomes wonderfully smooth and white.
Now, add a drop or two of pink food coloring. I still laugh at the time I added too much. We had neon pink cupcakes! Stir it gently. That soft pink color is their signature look. Do you prefer bright pink or a soft blush color?
Putting It All Together
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, it’s time to frost. Use a knife or a spatula. Pile that pink icing high. Then, make a little swirl on top with your knife. It’s the Magnolia signature.
Finish with a pinch of sprinkles. This final touch matters. It turns a simple cupcake into a celebration. It says someone took the time to make something lovely. Will you use rainbow sprinkles or maybe just one color? Share a picture if you make them!
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 Vanilla Buttercream Icing |
| Sprinkles | For decoration | For garnish |
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 to make them. We had such a fun, messy afternoon. Doesn’t that smell amazing?
Here is how we make the cake. Get your ingredients ready. Room temperature butter and eggs mix much better. (That’s a hard-learned tip from many lumpy batters!). Let’s begin.
- Step 1: Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tins with pretty papers. Mix your two flours in a small bowl. Just set it aside for now. This gets everything ready for our big mix.
- Step 2: Now, cream the butter in a big bowl. Use your mixer on medium. Add the sugar slowly. Beat it until it’s light and fluffy. It should look like pale yellow clouds. I still laugh at the time I used cold butter. What a workout for my mixer!
- Step 3: Crack in the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each one. This makes the cake nice and tender. Now, add your flour mix and milk. Add them in three parts, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until you can’t see flour anymore.
- 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 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 in the pan. Fifteen minutes is perfect. Then, move them to a wire rack. They must be completely cool before we ice them. Patience is a baker’s secret ingredient. Use this time to make the frosting.
- Step 6: For the icing, beat the soft butter first. Add four cups of sugar, the milk, and vanilla. Beat until it’s smooth and dreamy. Then, add more sugar, a cup at a time. Stop when it’s thick and spreadable. You might not need all eight cups. Add a few drops of pink coloring. Swirl it on thick and top with sprinkles!
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (with cooling)
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Category: Dessert, Baking
Three Sweet Twists to Try
The basic recipe is a classic. But sometimes, a little change is fun. Here are three ideas my grandkids love. They make the cupcakes feel new again.
- Lemon Sunshine: Use lemon extract instead of vanilla. Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter. Top with yellow frosting.
- Berry Surprise: Place a fresh raspberry in the center of each cupcake before baking. It becomes a sweet, hidden treasure.
- Chocolate Swirl: Replace 1/4 cup of flour with cocoa powder. You can even add chocolate chips. Frost with chocolate buttercream.
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving Them Up with Style
These cupcakes are a celebration all by themselves. For a real party, place them on a tiered cake stand. It looks so fancy. You could also serve them with a bowl of fresh berries on the side. The tart fruit is lovely with the sweet frosting.
What to drink? A cold glass of milk is always perfect. It’s my favorite. For the grown-ups, a little glass of champagne or prosecco is a classic pair. The bubbles cut through the sweetness beautifully. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Your Cupcakes Happy
Let’s talk about keeping cupcakes fresh. First, let them cool completely. Icing a warm cupcake is a messy mistake. Once iced, store them in a sealed container. They will last two days on the counter.
You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes for a month. Wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap. Thaw them on the counter before icing. I once froze a whole batch for my grandson’s surprise visit. It was a lifesaver!
Batch cooking saves time for busy weeks. Making the batter and frosting ahead is smart. This helps you enjoy baking without the rush. Have you ever tried storing cupcakes this way? Share your tips below!
Common Cupcake Hiccups & Fixes
Sometimes cupcakes don’t rise nicely. This often means your baking powder is old. Check the date on your self-rising flour. Fresh ingredients make all the difference for a fluffy treat.
Buttercream can become too runny or too stiff. If it’s runny, just add a bit more sugar. If it’s stiff, add a teaspoon of milk. I remember when my first buttercream was like soup. I learned to add sugar slowly.
Dry cupcakes happen if you overmix the batter. Mix just until you see no more flour. This keeps the texture soft and tender. Getting this right builds your confidence in the kitchen. 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 one day, frost them the next.
Q: What if I don’t have self-rising flour? A: For each cup, use 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt.
Q: Can I halve the recipe? A: You can. Just halve all the ingredients exactly.
Q: Are sprinkles required? A: No, but they add joy! *Fun fact: The original bakery sold these with simple pink icing.* Which tip will you try first?
Bake, Share, and Enjoy
I hope you love baking these famous cupcakes. They are perfect for a celebration. They are also wonderful for a quiet afternoon. Sharing them makes any day sweeter.
I would love to see your creations. Your kitchen stories always make me smile. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest @ChloesKitchen! Thank you for baking with me today.
Happy cooking!
—Chloe Hartwell.
Sex and the City Magnolia Cupcakes Recipe
Description
Bake Carrie’s iconic Magnolia cupcakes! This famous Sex and the City vanilla cupcake recipe with pink buttercream is pure NYC bliss.
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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