Hot Pink Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 muffin or cupcake pan (12-cup)
- 12 paper cupcake liners
- 2 medium mixing bowls
- 1 Small mixing bowl
- 1 electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Rubber spatula
- 1 Measuring cups set
- 1 Measuring spoons set
- 1 Cooling rack
- 1 piping bag
- 1 piping tip (large round or star)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 6–8 drops hot pink gel food coloring divided
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter for frosting; softened
- 2 cup powdered sugar for frosting; sifted
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream or milk for frosting
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for frosting
- 1 pinch fine sea salt for frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line the muffin pan with 12 paper cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- In a separate large bowl beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 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 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 just until combined.
- Add half of the milk-sour cream mixture and mix on low until incorporated.
- Repeat with another third of the dry ingredients, the remaining milk mixture, then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing just until a smooth batter forms.
- Add 3–4 drops of hot pink gel food coloring to the batter and gently fold with a spatula until the color is evenly distributed, adding more drops if a brighter pink is desired.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 16–18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely, about 25 minutes.
- While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting by beating the softened butter in a medium bowl until creamy and pale, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar to the butter, mixing on low speed and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed until fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, then beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
- Add 3–4 drops of hot pink gel food coloring to the frosting and beat again until the color is uniform, adjusting with more drops for a deeper shade.
- If the frosting is too thick, add an additional 1 teaspoon of cream at a time until it reaches a smooth, pipeable consistency.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, fit a piping bag with a large tip and fill it with the hot pink frosting.
- Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto each cupcake, starting from the outside edge and spiraling inward and upward.
Notes
For best color and texture, always use gel food coloring rather than liquid so you don’t thin the batter or frosting, and add it gradually to control the shade of pink. Make sure all refrigerated ingredients are at room temperature so the batter emulsifies properly and the cupcakes rise evenly without tunneling. Avoid overmixing once you add the flour, which can make cupcakes dense; mix just until no dry streaks remain. If baking in a dark pan, you may need to check for doneness a minute or two early, and always let the cupcakes cool fully before frosting so the buttercream doesn’t melt. You can flavor the frosting with a few drops of almond or strawberry extract for a twist, and decorate with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or edible glitter to emphasize the hot pink theme.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!