This is a special recipe from Magnolia Bakery in New York City. (There is now a location here, too!) I first came across their famous vanilla cupcakes from a dear friend, Evelyn. She shares my love for confections, and every Easter, Evelyn and her mother bake these very special cupcakes for their brunch guests. She showed me her tricks for baking Magnolia’s famed treats for a friend’s birthday party over the summer; I also baked them for an engagement party. At both celebrations, these cupcakes were devoured. They are fluffy, soft, and full of vanilla—absolutely perfect for any party!
Miranda and Carrie enjoying Magnolia Bakery cupcakes on “Sex and the City.”
Ingredients
Cupcakes
1 ½ cups cake flower
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Frosting—Vanilla Buttercream
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup milk
2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions For the Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. In a small bowl, combine flours; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla, and scraping down sides of bowl with a spatula in between each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
2. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about three-quarters full. Bake, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Remove cupcakes from tins to cool completely.
Directions For the Frosting:
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, 4 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating for about 2 minutes after each addition, until icing reaches desired consistency; you may not need to add all the sugar.
2. Once cupcakes have cooled, I like to use a piping bag to frost tops of each cupcake. I usually press lightly on the cupcake and squeeze enough frosting to make a perfect cloud of frosting on top of the cupcakes.
3. After the cupcakes are frosted, I then like to add sprinkles or some sort of decoration to make them sparkle. For the birthday, Evelyn bought the cutest little French-themed toothpicks that we put into each of the cupcakes. Then for the engagement party, I dusted the cupcakes with silver edible glitter, and placed a flower into the center of each of the cupcakes.
4. Serve the cupcakes at room temperature. Happy Baking! :)
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