Pink Velvet Cupcakes with Buttercream (Printable Version)

Airy blush-pink cupcakes with vanilla buttercream. Tender, moist, and perfectly balanced for any celebration.

# What You Need:

→ For the Cupcakes

01 - 1¼ cups cake flour
02 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - ½ cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg, room temperature
08 - ⅔ cup buttermilk, 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, room temperature
13 - 2 to 2½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
15 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream
16 - Pinch of salt
17 - 1 drop pink food coloring, optional

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - Sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
03 - Beat butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth. Gradually add 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 final third of dry ingredients. Scrape down bowl as needed. Do not overmix.
06 - Stir together white vinegar and pink gel food coloring in a small cup. With mixer on low, pour 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 - Beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add 2 cups 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. Add more sugar for stiffness or more cream for softness. Mix in pink food coloring if desired.
11 - Transfer buttercream to piping bag with preferred tip or use offset spatula. Frost each cooled cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, edible pearls, or pink sanding sugar as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crumb is so soft it practically melts on your tongue, thanks to the buttermilk and cake flour working together.
  • That hint of vinegar might sound odd, but it reacts with the baking soda to give you an airy, tender rise every time.
  • The color is cheerful without screaming artificiality, just a gentle rosy glow that makes people smile before they even taste one.
  • Vanilla buttercream is endlessly adaptable you can tint it, flavor it, or leave it pure and creamy.
02 -
  • Cold butter will not cream properly, and cold eggs can cause the batter to curdle, so let everything sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes before you start.
  • Overmixing once the flour goes in develops gluten and turns your tender cupcakes into dense little pucks, so mix just until combined.
  • If you add the vinegar and coloring too early, the acid can start reacting with the leavening before it hits the oven, which steals some of your rise.
03 -
  • Invest in a small kitchen scale if you bake often, weighing flour ensures consistent results every time.
  • Tap the filled muffin tin gently on the counter before baking to release hidden air bubbles that can create tunnels in the crumb.
  • If your frosting feels too stiff, add cream a teaspoon at a time, if its too loose, add powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until it holds a peak.
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