Sex and the City Magnolia Cupcakes Recipe

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 make them at home. I still smile thinking of that day.

Why Room Temperature Matters

Let’s talk about our butter and eggs. They must not be cold. Take them out an hour before.

Cold butter won’t cream nicely with sugar. Cold eggs can make our batter curdle. Room-temperature ingredients become friends easily. This matters for a smooth, happy batter.

The Heart of the Cupcake

Making the batter is my favorite part. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Doesn’t that smell amazing? Add eggs one at a time.

Then add your flours and milk slowly. Mix just until you see no more flour. Over-mixing makes tough cupcakes. We want them tender and light.

What’s your favorite part of baking? Is it mixing or the smell from the oven? Tell me next time.

The Famous Pink Swirl

Now for the fun! Make the vanilla buttercream. Start with four cups of sugar. Add more until it’s thick and spreadable.

Here comes the pink. Add just a drop or two. Stir and see the magic happen. Fun fact: The pink frosting made these cupcakes famous on TV!

Use a knife to make a big swirl on top. Add sprinkles for joy. Do you like lots of sprinkles or just a few?

A Little Story & A Big Lesson

I once forgot the vanilla. The cupcakes tasted so plain! My husband ate one anyway. He said, “It’s still cake, dear.” I still laugh at that.

That’s my second “why this matters” tip. Vanilla is the quiet hero. It makes all the flavors sing together. Never forget your vanilla.

Have you ever forgotten an ingredient? How did it turn out? Sharing our oops moments makes baking more fun.

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 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 magic. Get your ingredients ready. I like to put on my favorite apron. It has little strawberries on it. Now, let’s begin.

• Step 1: First, warm up your oven to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tins with pretty papers. I collect them from all over. Now, mix your two flours together in a small bowl. Just give them a little stir. Set them aside for now.
• Step 2: Time to make the cake batter. Beat the softened butter until it’s smooth. Slowly add the sugar. Keep beating until it’s light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one by one. Let each one say hello before adding the next.
• Step 3: Now, add your flour and milk. Do it in turns: some flour, then milk, then flour. End with the flour. Add the vanilla too. That smell is pure happiness. (My hard-learned tip: mix just until you can’t see flour. Overmixing makes tough cupcakes!).
• Step 4: Spoon the batter into your papers. Fill them about three-quarters full. This gives them room to rise into perfect little domes. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean.
• Step 5: Let the cupcakes cool completely. This is the hardest part! I still laugh at how we used to try to frost warm cupcakes. The icing just melts right off. Patience makes perfect frosting. What’s your favorite cupcake flavor? Share below!
• Step 6: For the icing, beat the butter smooth. Add four cups of sugar, the milk, and vanilla. Beat it until it’s creamy. Then add more sugar until it’s thick and spreadable. Tint it a soft pink with food coloring. It just feels more special that way.

Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (with cooling)
Yield: About 24 cupcakes
Category: Dessert, Baking

Three Sweet Twists to Try

The classic recipe is wonderful. But sometimes, you want to play. Here are three fun ideas. They are simple changes with big flavor.

• Lemon Sunshine: Use lemon extract instead of vanilla. Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter. It’s so fresh and bright.
• Berry Swirl: Drop a teaspoon of raspberry jam into each cupcake before baking. It makes a sweet, fruity heart inside.
• Chocolate Chip: Fold a cup of mini chocolate chips into the batter. Because chocolate makes everything better, doesn’t it?

Which one would you try first? Comment below!

Serving Your Sweet Masterpieces

These cupcakes are a celebration all by themselves. For a real treat, serve them on a fancy cake stand. It makes everyone feel special. You could also add a fresh strawberry on the side of each plate. A little fruit makes it feel fancy.

What to drink? A cold glass of milk is always my favorite pairing. It’s the classic for a reason. For the grown-ups, a little glass of champagne or prosecco is lovely. The bubbles cut through the sweet icing perfectly.

Which would you choose tonight?

Keeping Cupcakes Fresh and Happy

Let’s talk about keeping these sweet treats. First, cool them completely. I once iced a warm cupcake. The frosting melted right off! A cooled cupcake keeps its shape.

Store frosted cupcakes in a sealed container. They stay fresh on the counter for two days. You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to three months. Wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap first.

Why does this matter? Good storage saves your hard work. It also means you can bake ahead for a party. Batch cooking lets you enjoy a treat anytime. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!

Simple Fixes for Common Cupcake Troubles

Sometimes cupcakes don’t turn out perfect. That’s okay! Here are easy fixes. First, sunken middles. This often means too much liquid or leavening. I remember when my first batch sank. I had used baking powder instead of self-rising flour!

Second, dry cupcakes. Do not overmix your batter. Mix just until you see no more dry flour. Overmixing makes cupcakes tough. Third, runny frosting. Your butter might be too soft. Chill it for ten minutes then beat again.

Fixing small problems builds your cooking confidence. It also makes your food taste much better. You learn by doing. 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 them ahead?
A: Absolutely. Bake the cakes a day early. Frost them the day you serve.

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 divide all the ingredients in half. It works perfectly.

Q: Are sprinkles required?
A: No, but they are joyful! Fun fact: The original bakery sold these with simple white frosting. Which tip will you try first?

Bake, Share, and Enjoy

I hope you love baking these famous cupcakes. They are a little piece of baking history. Most of all, I hope you have fun in the kitchen.

Share your baking adventure with me. I would love to see your pink swirls and sprinkles. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! You can find me at @ChloesKitchen.

Happy cooking!
—Chloe Hartwell.