A Little Story About a Big City
I first tried these cupcakes years ago. My niece brought them from New York. She said they were famous from a TV show. I took one bite and smiled. It tasted like a perfect afternoon.
That sweet, simple vanilla flavor took me right to a sunny city street. I knew I had to make them at home. So I did. Now, I think of her every time I bake them. What food reminds you of someone you love?
Why This Recipe Works
Let’s talk about the two flours. Self-rising flour has baking powder in it. This makes the cupcakes light. All-purpose flour makes them strong enough to hold up. Together, they create the perfect bite.
Room temperature butter and eggs matter, too. They mix together smoothly. This makes your batter even. An even batter bakes into a perfect cupcake. It’s a small step that makes a big difference.
Mixing Up the Magic
First, cream that butter and sugar. Beat it for the full three minutes. It should look fluffy and pale. This puts tiny air bubbles in your batter. Those bubbles are what make the cake soft.
Now add the eggs, one by one. Beat each one in fully. This keeps the batter smooth. Then add your dry stuff and milk. Add them in turns, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until you can’t see flour anymore. Overmixing makes cupcakes tough.
The Pink Cloud on Top
The frosting is my favorite part. It’s just butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla. You beat it for a long time. It becomes a creamy, dreamy cloud. I always add a few drops of pink food coloring. Doesn’t that look happy?
Fun fact: The original bakery sold these with pastel pink or blue frosting. They let customers pick their favorite color!
You might not need all eight cups of sugar. Stop when it’s thick but spreadable. Frost them with a big swirl. Then add sprinkles right away. Do you like lots of sprinkles or just a few?
More Than Just a Cupcake
This recipe matters because it’s about sharing joy. A homemade cupcake is a little gift. It says, “I thought of you.” That’s a powerful thing to say with just flour and sugar.
Baking also teaches patience. You must let the cupcakes cool completely. If you frost them warm, the icing will melt. Good things come to those who wait. What’s the best thing you’ve ever baked for someone?
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 cupcake batter |
| granulated sugar | 2 cups | |
| large eggs, room temperature | 4 | |
| milk | 1 cup | For the cupcake batter |
| vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon | For the cupcake batter |
| 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 desired | optional |
| sprinkles | for decorating | optional |
My Famous Magnolia Cupcakes
Hello, my dear! Let’s bake my famous cupcakes. I got this recipe years ago. It reminds me of my sister and our city adventures. We’d share one cupcake and talk for hours. I still laugh at that.
These cupcakes are soft and sweet. The pink icing is pure joy. Doesn’t that smell amazing? Let’s begin. First, get your oven ready. Set it to 350°F. Line your muffin tins with pretty papers. I love the polka-dot ones.
Step 1: Mix your two flours in a small bowl. Just give them a gentle stir. Set this bowl aside for now. We’ll come back to it. This is our dry team. They need to wait their turn.
Step 2: Now, let’s cream the butter and sugar. Use your electric mixer. Beat them until they look fluffy and light. It takes about three minutes. Add the eggs one by one. Let each one say hello before adding the next.
Step 3: Time to mix everything. Add some flour, then some milk and vanilla. Repeat until it’s all in the bowl. Mix just until you don’t see flour. (My hard-learned tip: Overmixing makes tough cupcakes. Be gentle!).
Step 4: Spoon the batter into your papers. Fill them about three-quarters full. This gives them room to rise into perfect domes. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean. Let them cool completely. I know, waiting is the hardest part!
Step 5: For the icing, beat the butter until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and milk. Keep beating until it’s dreamy and creamy. Add a few drops of pink coloring. Now, swirl that icing high! Top with a mountain of sprinkles. What’s your favorite sprinkle color? Share below!
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (with cooling)
Yield: About 24 cupcakes
Category: Dessert, Baking
Three Fun Twists to Try
Once you master the classic, try a little twist. It’s fun to play with flavors. My grandkids love these ideas. They make baking feel like an adventure.
Lemon Sunshine: Add lemon zest to the batter. Use yellow food coloring in the icing. It tastes like a bright, sunny day.
Berry Surprise: Hide a fresh raspberry in the center of each cupcake before baking. The berry becomes a sweet, juicy secret.
Cookie Crunch: Mix mini chocolate chips into the batter. Roll the frosted edges in crushed vanilla wafers. So much fun to eat!
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving Them Up With Style
These cupcakes are a celebration all by themselves. But you can make them extra special. I like to serve them on my grandmother’s cake stand. It makes any day feel fancy.
For a party, offer a little bowl of extra sprinkles. Let guests add their own. Pair them with fresh berries on the side. The tart fruit is lovely with the sweet icing.
What to drink? A cold glass of milk is always perfect. For the grown-ups, a little glass of sparkling rosé is a lovely match. It’s pink just like the frosting! Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Cupcakes Fresh and Happy
Let’s talk about keeping these sweet treats yummy. First, cool cupcakes completely. I learned this the hard way. I once iced a warm cupcake. The frosting melted right off!
Store frosted cupcakes in a sealed container. They last 2 days on the counter. For longer, freeze them unfrosted. Wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap. They freeze beautifully for a month.
Thaw frozen cupcakes on the counter. Then frost them fresh. Batch cooking saves so much time. Bake a double batch on Sunday. You have sweet treats ready for the week.
This matters because good food shouldn’t go to waste. A little planning brings joy later. Have you ever tried storing cupcakes this way? Share below!
Simple Fixes for Common Cupcake Troubles
Sometimes baking has little bumps. Here are easy fixes. First, flat or dense 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 10 minutes. Then beat it again. It will thicken right up.
Third, cupcakes sticking to the liners. Let them cool fully in the pan. I remember pulling one too soon. It left a perfect top behind! Patience is key.
Fixing small problems builds your kitchen confidence. It also makes everything taste better. You feel like a real baker! 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. Add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum too.
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 halve all the ingredients. Use two eggs, then beat in an extra yolk.
Q: Any fun twists? A: Try almond extract instead of vanilla. *Fun fact: The original bakery sells a vanilla-almond cupcake!* Which tip will you try first?
Bake Some Joy and Share It
I hope you love baking these as much as I do. Sharing homemade treats is a special kind of love. It creates sweet memories for everyone.
I would be so delighted to see your creations. Did you use pink frosting? Maybe rainbow sprinkles? Show me your kitchen magic.
Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! I can’t wait to see your beautiful cupcakes. 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.
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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