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 This Recipe Works

This recipe uses two kinds of flour. That is the secret. The self-rising flour makes them rise tall. The all-purpose flour makes them strong.

Room temperature butter and eggs matter. They mix together smoothly. This makes your batter silky. Your cupcakes will be tender, not tough.

Let’s Make the Batter

Cream the butter and sugar first. Beat it for three whole minutes. It will get pale and fluffy. Doesn’t that smell amazing already?

Add eggs one at a time. Then add your dry ingredients and milk. Mix just until you see no more flour. Over-mixing makes cupcakes sad and dense.

What’s your favorite part of baking? Is it mixing, or is it the smell from the oven? Tell me in the comments.

The Famous Pink Icing

The icing is pure joy. It is sweet and cloud-like. You must beat the butter well first. This makes it creamy, not gritty.

Add the sugar slowly. You might not need all eight cups. Stop when it looks like fluffy paint. Then add a drop or two of pink color.

Fun fact: The pink icing became famous from a TV show. People saw it and just had to have it!

Baking Together Matters

Sharing a recipe is sharing a story. This one reminds me of a fun trip. It connects me to my granddaughter. Food memories are the best kind.

Making these cupcakes is an act of kindness. For yourself or for others. A homemade treat says “I thought of you.” That is why it matters.

Do you have a food that reminds you of a special day? I would love to hear about it.

Your Turn to Frost

Let the cupcakes cool completely. A warm cupcake melts the icing. Use a knife or a spoon to frost. Make a little swirl on top.

Add sprinkles right away. The icing is like glue for them. Then step back and look. You made something beautiful and delicious.

Will you use pink food coloring like the bakery? Or will you pick a different color? Show me a picture if you can!

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
unsalted butter, softened	1 cup (2 sticks)	For the Vanilla Buttercream Icing
confectioners’ sugar	6-8 cups	For the Vanilla Buttercream Icing
milk	1/2 cup	For the Vanilla Buttercream Icing
vanilla extract	2 teaspoons	For the Vanilla Buttercream Icing
Pink food coloring	As needed	For the Vanilla Buttercream Icing
Sprinkles	As needed	For garnish

My Famous Magnolia Cupcakes, Just Like the Show!

Hello, my dear! Let’s bake some joy. These are the famous cupcakes from that TV show. I remember my granddaughter begging me to make them. We had the best time. The kitchen smelled like a sweet dream. Doesn’t that smell amazing?

Here is how we make the cake part. It’s simple, I promise. Just follow these steps with me. We’ll take our time. Good things come from a calm kitchen. Are you ready? Let’s begin.

Step 1: First, turn your oven to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tins with pretty papers. I like the pastel ones. In a small bowl, mix your two flours together. Just give them a little stir. Then set them aside for now.

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. This takes about three minutes. I still laugh at how my mixer once danced off the counter!

Step 3: Add the eggs, one by one. Let each one get cozy in the batter. Now, add your flour mix and milk. Do it in three parts. Start and end with the flour. (A hard-learned tip: Don’t overbeat here! Just mix until you can’t see flour. Your cupcakes will be softer.)

Step 4: Spoon the batter into your papers. Fill them about three-quarters full. This gives them room to rise. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean. What’s your favorite way to test if a cake is done? 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. I know it’s hard to wait!

Step 6: Time for the buttercream! Beat the soft butter with four cups of sugar, milk, and vanilla. It will look a bit messy at first. Keep beating. It becomes smooth and creamy. Add more sugar until it’s thick and spreadable.

Step 7: Now, add a few drops of pink food coloring. Make it your favorite shade of pink. Frost each cupcake generously. Use your knife to make a pretty swirl on top. Finish with a handful of colorful sprinkles. There, isn’t that beautiful?

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

Let’s Get Creative with Your Cupcakes!

Once you know the basic recipe, you can play. Here are three fun twists I love. They feel like a whole new treat. Try one next time.

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

Berry Swirl: Drop a spoonful of raspberry jam into each cupcake before baking. The sweet, fruity center is a wonderful surprise.

Chocolate Dip: Keep the vanilla cake. But dip the iced top in melted chocolate. Let it harden. It’s like a fancy candy bar.

Which one would you try first? Comment below!

The Perfect Way to Serve Them

These cupcakes are stars on their own. But a little presentation makes it special. Place them on a fancy cake stand. It feels like a bakery. For a party, put each one in a little box. Guests can take one home.

What to drink? For a grown-up treat, a little glass of champagne is lovely. The bubbles cut through the sweetness. For everyone, a cold glass of milk is the classic choice. Or a cup of milky tea. It’s the coziest combination.

Which would you choose tonight?

Keeping Cupcakes Fresh and Happy

Let’s talk about keeping these sweet treats perfect. First, cool cupcakes completely before storing. I learned this the hard way. I once iced a warm cupcake. The frosting melted into a sad, sweet 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. You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to three months. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap first.

This matters because good planning means less waste. You can bake a batch for now and save some for later. A ready treat makes any bad day better. Have you ever tried storing cupcakes this way? Share your story below!

Simple Fixes for Common Cupcake Troubles

Sometimes baking does not go as planned. Do not worry. Most problems have easy fixes. First, if your cupcakes are dry, you may have overmixed the batter. Mix just until you see no more dry flour.

Second, if your frosting is too runny, add more sugar. Add it one cup at a time. I remember when my first buttercream was soupy. A little more sugar made it just right. This matters for pretty, swirled tops.

Third, if cupcakes stick to the liners, let them cool fully. Rushing this step tears the cake. Patience gives you a perfect peel. This 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 good gluten-free flour blend made for baking.

Q: Can I make parts ahead? A: Absolutely. Bake the cakes one day. Frost them the next day.

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 make a smaller batch? A: You can cut all ingredients in half. It works just fine.

Q: Are sprinkles required? A: No, but they add joy. *Fun fact: The original bakery sold these with simple white frosting.* Which of these tips will you try first?

Bake Some Joy and Share It

I hope you love baking these famous cupcakes. They are a little piece of sweet, simple happiness. Sharing what you bake spreads that joy even further.

I would love to see your creations. Did you pick pink frosting or another color? Show me your beautiful swirls. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest @ChloesKitchen!

Thank you for baking with me today. Happy cooking!

—Chloe Hartwell.