Heart Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 standard 12-cup muffin tin
- 12 heart-pattern cupcake liners
- 2 medium mixing bowls
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 Electric mixer or whisk
- 1 Rubber spatula
- 1 metal spoon
- 1 wire cooling rack
- 1 piping bag
- 1 star piping tip
- 1 toothpick
- 1 Measuring cups set
- 1 Measuring spoons set
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream room temperature
- 4 drops red food coloring optional
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened for frosting
- 2 cup powdered sugar sifted for frosting
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream for frosting
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for frosting
- 3 drops red food coloring for frosting
- 2 tablespoon heart-shaped sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line the muffin tin with heart-pattern cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- In a large mixing 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.
- In a separate small bowl, stir together the milk and sour cream until smooth.
- Add one-third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until combined.
- Pour in half of the milk mixture and mix gently, then repeat alternating dry ingredients and milk mixture, ending with dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined.
- If using, add red food coloring to the batter and fold gently with a spatula until the color is even.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 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 pan from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let them cool completely for at least 25 minutes before frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat the softened butter in a medium bowl until creamy and smooth.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated, then increase speed to medium until fluffy.
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract, then beat until the frosting is light and spreadable, adding a few more drops of cream if needed.
- Tint the frosting with red food coloring, beating until you reach your desired shade of pink or red.
- Fit the piping bag with a star tip and fill it with the tinted frosting using a spatula.
- Pipe a swirl of frosting onto each cooled cupcake, starting from the outside and spiraling toward the center.
- Immediately decorate each cupcake with heart-shaped sprinkles so they adhere to the soft frosting.
- Let the frosted cupcakes rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving to let the frosting set slightly.
Notes
For best results, avoid overmixing the batter after adding the dry ingredients to keep the cupcakes soft and tender, and always start with room-temperature butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream so the batter emulsifies smoothly and bakes evenly. If your frosting seems too stiff, add cream a teaspoon at a time until it pipes easily, and if it becomes too soft, chill it for 10 to 15 minutes before piping. You can bake the cupcakes a day ahead and store them unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature, then frost shortly before serving for the freshest texture. For neater heart-themed decoration, hold the piping bag straight up and keep steady pressure as you swirl, and use a toothpick dipped in food coloring to draw tiny hearts or accents directly on the frosting for extra detail.
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