Ingredients
Ingredients for Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups cake flour (170 gm)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup whole milk (125 ml)
- ¼ cup sour cream (61.3 gm)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (115 gm)
- ¾ cups granulated sugar (150 gm)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
- 2 egg whites
Ingredients for Buttercream
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (115 gm)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (224 gm)
- 3 tablespoon whole milk (45 ml)
- 1 drop red gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside to get ready for batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined to ensure proper leavening.
- Combine Wet Ingredients (Part 1): In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the whole milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth, mixing the wet ingredients well.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. This aerates the butter for a tender crumb.
- Add Egg Whites: Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the two egg whites. Mix until fully incorporated to add structure and moisture.
- Incorporate Wet and Dry Mixtures: To the creamed butter mixture, add half of the wet ingredients followed by half of the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined. Scrape down the bowl and then add the remaining wet and dry ingredients. Mix until the batter is smooth and uniform, taking care to not overmix.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full (approximately ¼ cup of batter per liner) to leave room for rising.
- Bake: Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and set the muffin tin on a cooling rack. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the buttercream.
- Make Buttercream: In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter and powdered sugar together until crumbly. Add the milk and vanilla extract then beat on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add more milk if needed to achieve desired consistency.
- Add Color: Add one small drop of red gel food coloring to the buttercream and mix thoroughly to achieve a soft pink color.
- Prepare Piping Bag: Place a piping bag inside a tall cup to hold upright. Spoon the buttercream into the bag, then gently squeeze down to the tip to remove air bubbles. Twist the top to secure and trim the tip to create a medium-sized opening.
- Pipe Frosting: Starting at the outer edge of each cupcake, pipe the buttercream in a circular motion towards the center. Maintain consistent, light pressure for an even flow.
Notes
- Use cake flour for a lighter, softer cupcake texture.
- Do not overmix the batter to avoid dense cupcakes.
- Make sure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent melting.
- You can adjust the gel food coloring to achieve your desired shade of pink.
- The recipe yields 12 standard-sized cupcakes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
