Sex and the City Magnolia Cupcakes Recipe

My First Magnolia Cupcake

I first tried one in New York City. My granddaughter and I stood in a long line. The bakery smelled like sweet butter and sugar.

We split one vanilla cupcake with pink icing. It was so light and sweet. I knew I had to make them at home. I still smile thinking of that day.

Why The Butter Matters

Let your butter get soft. Leave it on the counter for an hour. This matters so much.

Soft butter mixes with sugar perfectly. It makes the cupcakes fluffy. Hard butter makes dense cakes. Nobody wants a dense cupcake!

Mixing With Love (And a Light Hand)

Here is my little story. I once beat the batter too long. The cupcakes came out tough. I was so disappointed.

So, mix just until you see no more flour. Then stop. This keeps them tender. *Fun fact: Overmixing makes the gluten in flour tough, like a rubber band.* What’s your biggest baking mistake? I’ve made plenty!

The Famous Pink Swirl

The icing is pure joy. Start with four cups of sugar. Add more until it looks right. It should be thick and smooth.

Now for the pink color. Add one drop at a time. Stir. You want a soft, pretty pink. Doesn’t that sound lovely? Do you like pink icing or another color best?

Sharing The Sweetness

These cupcakes are for sharing. That’s the real magic. A cupcake can turn a regular day into a small party.

It’s not just about sugar and flour. It’s about making someone smile. That matters more than a perfect swirl. Who will you share your first batch with? Tell me about 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 happiness. These are the famous cupcakes from that TV show. I remember my granddaughter begging me to make them. The secret is in the fluffy swirl of pink icing. Doesn’t that sound lovely?

We’ll take it nice and slow. I’ll tell you a story as we go. My first time, I used salted butter by mistake. What a salty surprise that was! I still laugh at that. So, let’s get our ingredients ready. Room temperature butter is your best friend here.

Step 1:

First, heat your oven to 350°F. Line your muffin tins with pretty papers. In a small bowl, mix your two flours together. Just give them a little stir. Set that bowl aside for now. This is called the “dry ingredients.”

Step 2:

Now, let’s make the batter. Cream the soft butter in your mixer. It should look smooth. Slowly add the sugar. Beat it until it’s light and fluffy. It takes about three minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix well after each one.

Step 3:

Time to combine everything. Add some dry mix to the bowl. Then pour in a bit of milk and vanilla. Repeat until it’s all in. Mix just until you don’t see flour. (My hard-learned tip: Overmixing makes tough cupcakes!). Scrape the bowl with a spatula.

Step 4:

Spoon the batter into your liners. 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. Cool them completely before icing. What’s your favorite cupcake liner color? Share below!

Step 5:

For the icing, beat the butter with four cups of sugar. Add the milk and vanilla. Beat until it’s dreamy and smooth. Keep adding more sugar until it’s thick. You want it to hold a beautiful swirl. Now, add a few drops of pink coloring. Doesn’t that look amazing?

Step 6:

The final touch! Frost each cupcake generously. Start at the outside and swirl into the middle. Top with a big handful of sprinkles. There you have it. A little bite of pure joy. I think these taste even better shared with a friend.

Cook Time: 20–25 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: About 24 cupcakes
Category: Dessert, Baking

Three Sweet Twists to Try

The classic is perfect. But sometimes, it’s fun to play. Here are three simple twists for your next batch. Each one tells a different little story.

Lemon Sunshine:

Add lemon zest to the batter. Use lemon juice in the icing instead of milk. It’s so bright and cheerful.

Berry Surprise:

Place one fresh raspberry in the center of each cupcake before baking. It becomes a hidden treasure.

Chocolate Swirl:

Swap one teaspoon of vanilla for cocoa powder in the icing. Don’t fully mix it, so you get pretty pink and brown swirls.

Which one would you try first? Comment below!

Serving Them Up with Style

These cupcakes are a celebration all by themselves. For a party, 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. The tart fruit is lovely with the sweet icing.

What to drink? A cold glass of milk is always my go-to. It’s the classic pairing for a reason. For the grown-ups, a little glass of champagne or prosecco is delightful. The bubbles cut through the sweetness beautifully. Which would you choose tonight?

Keeping Cupcakes Happy and Fresh

Let’s talk about keeping these sweet treats fresh. First, cool cupcakes completely. Any warmth makes frosting melt. Store them in a sealed container at room temperature for two days.

For longer storage, the freezer is your friend. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes in a single layer. Once solid, wrap each one tightly. They keep for two months this way. 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 matters for busy weeks. A homemade treat is always ready for surprise guests. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!

Fixing Common Cupcake Troubles

Sometimes baking doesn’t go as planned. That’s okay! Here are easy fixes. If cupcakes dome too much, your oven might be too hot. Try lowering the temperature by 25 degrees next time.

I remember when my frosting was too runny. I added sugar too fast. The fix is simple. Add the sugar slowly, one cup at a time. Stop when it’s thick and creamy. This matters for pretty swirls that hold their shape.

Dry cupcakes often come from overmixing. Mix just until you see no more flour. Gentle mixing keeps them tender and soft. This matters because texture is as important as taste. 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 them ahead? A: Absolutely. Bake the cakes up to two days early. Frost them the day you serve.

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 divide all the ingredients in half. It works perfectly.

Q: Are sprinkles required? A: Of course not! But they are very fun. The first Magnolia Bakery opened in New York City in 1996. Which tip will you try first?

Bake Some Joy and Share It

I hope you love baking these classic cupcakes. They are pure, simple joy. Sharing them makes the joy even bigger. Give some to a neighbor or a friend.

I would love to see your creations. Your kitchen stories make my day. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! You can find me @ChloesCozyKitchen. I can’t wait to see your pink swirls.

Happy cooking!
—Chloe Hartwell.