Magnolia Bakery Copycat Carrie Bradshaw Cupcakes
Sweet, fluffy, and topped with that iconic swirl of pink buttercream, these Classic Pink Magnolia Cupcakes taste just like the famous NYC bakery treat—soft, nostalgic, and absolutely irresistible!
I didn’t grow up watching Sex and the City in real time — I was too young when it first aired. But by the time the movies came out I was completely obsessed, and one of the things that stuck with me was Carrie stopping at Magnolia Bakery on Bleecker Street for a cupcake. Soft vanilla cake, swirl of pale pink buttercream, eaten on a stoop in the West Village.
Living in Brooklyn, Magnolia Bakery isn’t some mythical destination — it’s accessible. I’ve had the real thing. And what I can tell you is that the magic is in what you can’t see: cake flour instead of all-purpose, sour cream in the batter, and just egg whites instead of whole eggs. Those three things are what make the crumb that light and that delicate.
This recipe captures all of that. The frosting is a simple buttercream but the color — that soft, barely-there blush pink — is everything. One drop of gel food coloring. That’s all it takes.
What ingredients are in these Sex and the City Cupcakes?
Cupcake Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cake flour*
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of whole milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature) 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 egg whites
Directions For Cupcakes
Step One: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
Line your 12-cup muffin tins with paper (not aluminum) liners.
Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt)
Step Two: In a 2 cup liquid measurement cup, whisk together your whole milk, sour cream and vanilla.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream your butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, scrape down the bowl.
Add in your egg whites and mix until incorporated, scrape down the bowl
Step Three: Use a 1⁄4 measuring cup or ice cream scooper to evenly portion out your cupcakes.
Step four: Bake your cupcakes for 20-22 minutes, until the tops spring back when touched.
Step five: Add butter and powdered sugar to a bowl.
Begin to beat together, mixture will begin to turn crumbly.
Start with 2 tablespoons of whole milk and vanilla.
Mix until smooth. (add extra milk only if needed)
Add one small drop of gel food coloring and mix throughout.
Enjoy!
Magnolia Bakery Copycat Carrie Bradshaw Cupcakes
If you watched the series, Carrie would stop at one of the most famous bakeries in the world for a cupcake! These vanilla cupcakes are cute, delicate and comes with pink frosting. It reminds me of the iconic white top and pink tutu Carrie wears during the opening theme song.
Why This Recipe Works — The Three Magnolia Techniques
Cake flour instead of all-purpose. Cake flour has a lower protein content, which means less gluten develops when you mix the batter. Less gluten = a softer, more delicate crumb. If you only have all-purpose flour, you can make a substitute: for every 1 cup, use 14 tablespoons of all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, sifted together. This also fills in the incomplete Notes field in your recipe card.
Sour cream in the wet ingredients. Sour cream adds fat and a slight tang that balances the sweetness, and its acidity interacts with the baking soda to create a tender rise. It also keeps the cupcakes moist longer than milk alone.
Egg whites only, no yolks. Whole eggs make a richer, denser cupcake. Egg whites only keep the crumb lighter and the color paler — closer to white than yellow. Make sure they’re at room temperature so they incorporate evenly into the batter.
What are some FAQs about these Magnolia Bakery Pink Cupcakes:
Q: What makes Magnolia Bakery’s Pink Cupcakes special?
A: Magnolia Bakery’s Pink Cupcakes are renowned for their light, moist texture and the iconic pink buttercream frosting, which has a velvety texture and a perfect balance of sweetness.
Q: Can I use natural food coloring for the pink frosting?
A: Yes, you can use beet juice or any natural pink food coloring as a substitute for artificial food color.
Q: How can I achieve the light and airy texture of the cupcakes?
A: It’s important not to overmix the batter and to sift the dry ingredients before combining them with the wet ingredients. This ensures a light and airy texture.
Q: Can I make these cupcakes in advance?
A: Yes, you can bake the cupcakes a day before serving, but it’s best to frost them on the day you plan to serve them to retain the freshness of the frosting.
Well, I am so happy to announce that they have finally released the recipe! Now you can make these cute cupcakes in the comfort of your own kitchen!
Getting That Magnolia Frosting Swirl
The frosting is simple — butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and one drop of pink gel food coloring — but the presentation is everything.
For the classic Magnolia tall swirl, use a large star tip: a 1M or 2D both work. Hold the piping bag straight down, not at an angle. Start at the outside edge of the cupcake and pipe in a tight spiral toward the center, then lift straight up to create the peak. The whole motion takes about 3 seconds once you have it down.
Gel food coloring vs. liquid: Use gel, not liquid. Liquid food coloring adds water to the frosting and can make it soft and hard to pipe. Gel is more concentrated — you need far less (one small drop) and the consistency stays stable. The Magnolia pink is barely there — closer to blush than bubblegum. Start with less than you think you need and add more if necessary.
What tools do I need to make these delicious Carrie Bradshaw Cupcakes?
Stand or Hand Mixer
Whisk
Large Bowl
Medium bowl or Large Wet Measurement Cup
Rubber Spatula
12 count cupcake pan Cupcake Liners
Pink gel or liquid food coloring
Enjoy these amazing cupcakes!
Here are some more fantastic cupcakes to try:
Magnolia Bakery Copycat Cupcakes (Carrie Bradshaw Pink Vanilla Cupcakes)
These light and fluffy Carrie Bradshaw Copycat Cupcakes From Magnolia Bakery are delicious and fashionable! A soft and spongy vanilla cupcake, with a yummy buttercream frosting!
Ingredients
- For the Cupcake:
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup of whole milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature) 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 egg whites
- Ingredients for the frosting:
- 1 sticks of unsalted room temperature butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2.5-3 tablespoons whole milk
- Gel food coloring (pink)
Instructions
Directions For Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper (not aluminum) liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the whole milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
- Add the egg whites and mix on medium until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl.
- With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the milk mixture. Repeat, alternating: flour, milk, flour. Mix only until just combined after each addition — do not overmix. Scrape down the bowl and give it one final fold with a rubber spatula to catch any unincorporated flour at the bottom.
- Use a ¼ cup measuring cup or ice cream scoop to portion batter into the prepared liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely — at least 45 minutes — before frosting.
Directions for Frosting:
- Beat the softened butter in a large bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and pale.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on low until the mixture starts to come together (it will look crumbly at first).
- Add 2 tablespoons of whole milk and beat on medium until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. If the frosting is too thick to pipe, add milk ½ tablespoon at a time.
- Add one small drop of pink gel food coloring and beat until the color is fully incorporated. The frosting should be a pale blush — barely pink. Add a tiny bit more if needed.
- Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1M or 2D tip. Pipe onto completely cooled cupcakes using a tight spiral motion starting from the outside edge.
Notes
How to make cake flour from all purpose flour:
Take one cup of all purpose flour, spooned and leveled. Remove two tablespoons, and then add two tablespoons of cornstarch to the all purpose flour. Sift together twice before using.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 482Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 24mgSodium 166mgCarbohydrates 99gFiber 0gSugar 86gProtein 3g
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Hi! I’m Nellie. I am an entrepreneur, a busy mama of 3 and a wife to my high school sweetheart. I have been sharing content for over 12 years about how to cook easy recipes, workout tips and free printables that make life a little bit easier. I have been featured in places like Yahoo, Buzzfeed, What To Expect, Mediavine, Niche Pursuits, HuffPost, BabyCenter, Mom 2.0, Mommy Nearest, Parade, Care.com, and more!
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