Easy Flower Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 standard 12-cup muffin tin
- 12 paper cupcake liners
- 2 medium mixing bowls
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Rubber spatula
- 1 Measuring cups set
- 1 Measuring spoons set
- 1 wire cooling rack
- 3 piping bags
- 3 small round or petal piping tips
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened; for frosting
- 2 cup powdered sugar sifted; for frosting
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for frosting
- 2 tablespoon milk for frosting
- 3 different gel food colorings assorted pastel colors
- 2 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles optional; for centers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line the muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- In a large bowl beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mix on low until just combined, then pour in the milk and mix briefly.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low just until no streaks of flour remain, scraping the bowl with a spatula.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let them cool completely, about 25 minutes.
- While the cupcakes cool, beat 1/2 cup softened butter in a medium bowl until creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar to the butter, beating on low at first, then increasing speed until thick and smooth.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and milk until the frosting is fluffy and pipeable, adjusting with a few drops more milk if needed.
- Divide the frosting evenly into three small bowls and tint each with a different gel food coloring, mixing until the color is uniform.
- Fit three piping bags with small round or petal tips and fill each bag with one color of frosting.
- To decorate, pipe small petal shapes or dots around the edge of a cooled cupcake to form the first ring of “petals.”
- Pipe a second inner ring of petals with a contrasting color to build the flower shape.
- Finish the center of each flower with a third frosting color or a small cluster of sprinkles.
- Repeat decorating steps for all cupcakes until each one has a flower design on top.
- Refrigerate the decorated cupcakes for 10 to 15 minutes if needed to help the frosting set before serving.
Notes
For best results, make sure your butter and eggs are truly at room temperature so the batter emulsifies smoothly and the cupcakes bake with a tender crumb; gel food coloring works better than liquid because it won’t thin the frosting, and practicing a few petals on parchment before piping onto the cupcakes can help you build confidence with the motion. If your frosting is too soft to hold petal shapes, chill it for 5 to 10 minutes and try again, and if it’s too stiff, add milk a teaspoon at a time. You can bake the cupcakes a day ahead and store them covered at room temperature, then frost them just before serving, and always let the cupcakes cool completely before decorating to avoid melting or sliding frosting.
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