Cindy-Campbell.com

In honor of Valentines Day, here are some lovely pink cupcakes! They are the Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes, with canned White (not vanilla) icing, Wilton Pink Sugar Sprinkles and Wilton Pink Color Mist.

These vanilla cupcakes are some of the best around, though I cannot take credit. The Magnolia Bakery is famous for their cupcakes and other baked goods. Luckly, the recipe has been circulating on the internet for a while. Here is a copy!

Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (instructions below to make your own “self-rising” flour)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter—(2 sticks) softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs—at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing:
Vanilla Buttercream—recipe follows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 2 (1/2 cup-12 capacity) muffin tins with cupcake papers. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. 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 about 3/4 full.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

*For MINI-CUPCAKES, fill lined mini-cupcake tin with 1/2 TBL batter.  Bake
about 15 min or until cake tester comes out clean.

Vanilla Buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter—(2 sticks) softened
6 cups confectioners’ sugar—(6 to 8 )
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

This recipe was taken from More From Magnolia: Recipes from the World Famous Bakery and Allysa Torey’s Home Kitchen

Make your own Self-Rising Flour:
In a large mixing bowl, measure 6 cups of flour.
Add 3 tablespoons baking powder.
Add 1 tablespoon salt.
Either sift together or mix with a wire whisk until well combined.
Can be stored in airtight container for months.
TIPS:
Measure self-rising flour like regular flour.
Keep all dry goods in airtight containers to avoid moisture and infestation.

The Color Mist was an experiment, my mom found it on sale somewhere so we thought we’d try something new. Note: Be sure to spray away from you and anything you care about. Having a sheet of parchment paper under the cupcakes helps. In the end, I thought using this spray made the cupcakes look “store bought.” And, really, what is the point of going to all the trouble to cook the cupcakes yourself if they are just going to look like they came from Walmart.

These cupcakes are very easy to make and taste wonderful! I hope you give them a try Happy Valentines Day!