Pink Velvet Cupcakes Vanilla Buttercream (Printable)

Airy blush-pink cupcakes crowned with silky vanilla buttercream—tender, moist, and perfect for celebrations.

# What You Need:

→ For the Cupcakes

01 - 1.25 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour sifted with 2 tablespoons cornstarch
02 - 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 0.5 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg, room temperature
08 - 0.67 cup buttermilk, room temperature
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
11 - 0.5 teaspoon pink gel food coloring

→ For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

12 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
13 - 2 to 2.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
15 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
16 - Pinch of salt
17 - Optional: drop of pink food coloring for tinted frosting

# How to Make It:

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 granulated sugar, beating for 2 to 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 and mix until combined. Add half the buttermilk and mix. 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. On low speed, pour mixture 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 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into 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 for about 1 minute. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar on low, then increase to medium and beat until smooth for about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, cream, and salt. Beat on medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add more sugar for stiffness or more cream for softness. Mix in drop of pink food coloring if desired.
11 - Transfer buttercream to piping bag fitted with preferred tip or use small offset spatula. Frost each cooled cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, edible pearls, or pink sanding sugar if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crumb is impossibly soft and stays moist for days, never dry or crumbly.
  • The buttercream is silky and not too sweet, so you can pile it high without feeling overwhelmed.
  • You control the pink shade from barely there blush to bold fuchsia with just a few drops.
  • They look bakery perfect but come together in less than an hour start to finish.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are non negotiable, cold butter or buttermilk will make the batter lumpy and the cupcakes dense.
  • Do not overmix once you add the flour or you will develop too much gluten and end up with tough, chewy cupcakes instead of tender ones.
  • Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting, even if they feel barely warm the buttercream will slide right off and turn into a puddle.
03 -
  • Weigh your flour if you can, too much flour is the number one reason cupcakes turn out dry and dense.
  • Use a cookie scoop to fill the liners evenly so all 12 cupcakes bake at the same rate and look uniform.
  • Chill your frosted cupcakes for 10 minutes before adding sprinkles, the buttercream firms up just enough so decorations stay put and do not slide off.
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