Pink Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream (Printable Version)

Airy, blush-pink cupcakes with tender crumb and tangy-sweet balance, topped with creamy vanilla buttercream swirls ideal for special occasions.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Cupcakes

01 - 1¼ cups cake flour (or all-purpose flour sifted with 2 tablespoons cornstarch)
02 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
06 - ½ cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg, at room temperature
08 - ⅔ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
11 - ½ teaspoon pink gel food coloring

→ For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

12 - ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
13 - 2 to 2½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
15 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
16 - Pinch of salt
17 - Optional: drop of pink food coloring for tinted frosting

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
04 - Lightly beat egg in a small bowl. With mixer on low, slowly add egg, mixing until fully incorporated. Blend in vanilla extract.
05 - On low speed, add one-third of dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add half the buttermilk, mix, then repeat with another third of dry mix, remaining buttermilk, and finish with final third of dry ingredients. Scrape down bowl as needed. Do not overmix.
06 - In a small cup, stir together white vinegar and pink gel food coloring. With mixer on low, pour mixture into batter and mix until evenly tinted.
07 - Divide batter evenly among 12 liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Tap pan gently to release air bubbles.
08 - Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
09 - Let cupcakes rest in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
10 - In a clean bowl or stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until creamy (about 1 minute). Gradually add 2 cups of powdered sugar on low, then increase to medium and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add vanilla, cream, and salt. Beat on medium-high for 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy. If needed, add more sugar for stiffness or more cream for softness. Mix in a drop of pink food coloring if desired.
11 - Transfer buttercream to a piping bag fitted with preferred tip or use small offset spatula. Frost each cooled cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, edible pearls, or pink sanding sugar, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crumb is impossibly soft, almost cloudlike, with a hint of tang that keeps it from being too sweet.
  • The buttercream is silky and not overpowering, so you actually taste the cupcake underneath.
  • They look like something from a fancy bakery, but the process is forgiving and surprisingly quick.
  • You can dial the pink up or down depending on your mood or the occasion.
02 -
  • Do not skip sifting the powdered sugar or you'll spend ten minutes picking lumps out of your frosting.
  • Room temperature ingredients blend faster and create a lighter, more even crumb.
  • Overmixing once the flour goes in will make your cupcakes dense and chewy instead of tender.
  • Let the cupcakes cool completely or the frosting will slide right off and pool at the bottom.
03 -
  • Weigh your flour if you can. Too much makes the cupcakes dry, too little makes them collapse.
  • Use a cookie scoop to fill the liners evenly so they all bake at the same rate and look uniform.
  • If your buttercream is too soft, chill it for 10 minutes, then rewhip. If it's too stiff, add cream one teaspoon at a time.
  • Gel food coloring is way more potent than liquid, so start with less and build up slowly.
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