Pink Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream (Printable)

Airy pink velvet cupcakes with dreamy vanilla buttercream frosting—tender, moist, and perfectly sweet for celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Cupcakes

01 - 1¼ cups cake flour or all-purpose flour sifted with 2 tablespoons cornstarch
02 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
06 - ½ cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg, at room temperature
08 - ⅔ cup buttermilk, at 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, at room temperature
13 - 2 to 2½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
15 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
16 - Pinch of salt
17 - Pink food coloring for tinting frosting, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
04 - Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the egg, mixing until fully incorporated. Blend in the vanilla extract.
05 - On low speed, add one-third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add half the buttermilk and mix, then repeat with another third of the dry mix, the remaining buttermilk, and finish with the final third of dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Do not overmix.
06 - In a small cup, stir together the white vinegar and pink gel food coloring. With the mixer on low, pour this mixture into the batter and mix until evenly tinted.
07 - Divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Tap the 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 the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
10 - In a clean bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy for about 1 minute. Gradually add 2 cups of 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 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy. If needed, add more sugar for stiffness or more cream for softness. Mix in a drop of pink food coloring if desired.
11 - Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your preferred tip or use a small offset spatula. Frost each cooled cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, edible pearls, or pink sanding sugar if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're unexpectedly tender and moist without tasting heavy, thanks to the buttermilk and vinegar working their magic together.
  • The vanilla buttercream frosting is silky enough to pipe beautifully but stable enough to hold its shape all day.
  • That subtle tang balances the sweetness perfectly, so these don't feel cloying even when you eat two in a row.
  • The entire process feels manageable even if you're not a seasoned baker, with room to adjust as you learn your own oven's quirks.
02 -
  • Room-temperature ingredients are not a suggestion—they're what separates velvety cupcakes from dense, disappointing ones, so plan ahead and pull your eggs and butter out of the fridge at least an hour before baking.
  • Overmixing is the silent killer of tender cupcakes, so mix on low speed during the wet-and-dry alternating step and stop as soon as everything is just combined, even if you see a few tiny flour streaks.
03 -
  • If you forget to bring butter to room temperature, cut it into small cubes and let it sit for 15–20 minutes, or place it on a warm plate for a few minutes—rushing this step by heating it too much will throw off your entire batter.
  • Invest in gel food coloring if you bake often, because it's more concentrated than liquid coloring, uses less volume (so your batter stays the right consistency), and produces more vibrant, true colors.
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