Sex And The City Cupcakes Recipe (The Carrie Cupcake)

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You know you’ve got the theme song playing in your head right now… In case you haven’t heard, the girls are baaack! Or will be, soon.

To celebrate the return of Sex And The City to HBO we are sharing with you the recipe for the Carrie Cupcake from Magnolia Bakery.

These iconic Sex And The City cupcakes feature a fluffy yellow cake and scrumptious light pink vanilla buttercream frosting, and are topped with a sweet daisy decoration.

Grab your besties and get ready to whip up a batch of these inspired Magnolia Bakery cupcakes – and maybe a couple of Cosmos, too!

sex and the city cupcakes magnolia bakery the carrie cupcake
Photo Credit: Magnolia Bakery

Sex And The City Cupcakes (Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes)

If you ever were wondering exactly what made Magnolia Bakery famous, this is it right here.

The little shop was referenced in an episode of Sex And The City in 2000, and suddenly people couldn’t get enough of their tasty baked treats. So much so, in fact, that in 2007 Magnolia Bakery released the Carrie Cupcake in homage to the show.

These Sex And The City-themed Magnolia Bakery cupcakes are based on a classic and straightforward vanilla cake recipe. They are light and fluffy, with a springy and moist crumb. So good!

But what really makes Sex And The City cupcakes special is the signature Carrie Bradshaw-inspired pink frosting. It’s a smooth vanilla buttercream with just a hint of pink food coloring for a soft color that is just oh-so Carrie.

Add a cute little daisy sugar decoration on top, and you’ve got a cupcake that’s as yummy as it is fab-u-lous!

Thanks to Insider for originally publishing the Carrie Cupcake recipe we are featuring here today.

See all of the other goodies like cakes, cookies and brownies from Magnolia Bakery here.

Ingredients to Make Sex And The City Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes

For the yellow vanilla cake you need:

  • Cake flour
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Whole milk
  • Sour cream
  • Unsalted butter
  • Granulated sugar
  • Pure vanilla extract
  • Egg white

To make the perfect pink buttercream frosting you need:

 

How to Make The Carrie Cupcake From Sex And The City

First, make the vanilla cupcakes:

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Next, in a liquid measuring cup whisk together your milk and sour cream until no lumps remain.
  4. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape the sides with a silicone spatula, as well as the bottom of the bowl and the paddle.
  5. Turn the mixer to medium speed and slowly add the egg whites a little at a time, making sure they’re incorporated before adding more. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides, bottom of the bowl, and paddle again.
  6. Turn the mixer to low speed, and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix everything for about 15 seconds, just until it’s incorporated.
  7. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl. Again, scrape down the bowl and the paddle.
  8. Evenly scoop the batter into your prepared muffin cups.
  9. Bake the Magnolia Bakery cupcakes for about 20 minutes, until the tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes cool, make the pink vanilla buttercream:

  1. Cream the butter on medium speed in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, until it’s just light and fluffy.
  2. Then add the vanilla and mix for one more minute. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula.
  3. With the mixer running on low speed, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl again. When you have added the third cup of sugar, the mixture will start to thicken and appear dry.
  4. Now add three tablespoons of milk, then add the rest of the sugar — add a bit more milk if the buttercream is too stiff. The desired consistency is creamy and smooth. Again, scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
  5. Continue to beat the icing on low speed for one to two minutes longer, until it’s perfectly smooth and creamy. Do not mix on medium or high, as it will add too much air and be too fluffy.
  6. Once the consistency is just right, add a few drops of the pink food coloring — one drop at a time — and mix thoroughly to get the right Carrie cupcake color. As a natural alternative to food coloring, you could also use a fruit powder!

Use an icing wand to spread your buttercream over the Magnolia Bakery cupcakes until they’re fully covered. Store any leftover frosting in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Top each Carrie cupcake with a daisy decoration and enjoy!

Also check out our list of 101+ Easy Cupcake Recipes: vanilla, chocolate, kid-friendly, unique, gourmet, fruity, boozy, vegan and everything in between!

How to Store Homemade Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes

Keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 3-4 days.

You can freeze the cupcakes for up to 3 months without the frosting. Transfer the cooled Sex And The City cupcakes to a freezer bag and remove all of the air before putting them in the freezer.

Here Are More Baked Treat Recipes You’ll Love:

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Sex And The City Cupcakes (The Carrie Cupcake)

Sex and The City Cupcake Recipe From Magnolia Bakery

Celebrate SATC's return with the Carrie Cupcake - homemade! Sex And The City cupcakes have pink frosting and daisy decor just like Magnolia Bakery cupcakes.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • For the vanilla cupcakes:
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup of whole milk
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 4 egg whites
  • For the vanilla buttercream:
  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
  • 3-4 tablespoons whole milk
  • Gel food coloring (pink)
  • Daisy sugar decoration

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Set it aside. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together your milk and sour cream until no lumps remain.
  4. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream your butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy (around three to five minutes). Scrape the sides, as well as the bottom of the bowl and the paddle.
  5. Turn your mixer to medium speed and slowly add the egg whites a little at a time, making sure they’re incorporated before adding more. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides, bottom of the bowl, and paddle again.
  6. Turn your mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix everything for about 15 seconds, just until it’s incorporated.
  7. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl. Scrape down the bowl and the paddle.
  8. Then, evenly scoop the batter into your prepared muffin cups
  9. Bake your cupcakes for 20-22 minutes, until the tops spring back when touched and a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean.
  10. While the cupcakes cool, make the buttercream frosting. First, cream the butter on medium speed in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for three to four minutes, until it’s light and fluffy.
  11. Add the vanilla and mix for one minute, then scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
  12. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl again. When you have added the third cup of sugar, the mixture will start to thicken and appear dry.
  13. Add three tablespoons of the milk, then add the rest of the sugar — add more milk if the buttercream is too stiff. The desired consistency is creamy and smooth. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
  14. Continue to beat the icing on low speed for one to two minutes longer, until it’s smooth and creamy. Do not mix on medium or high, as it will add too much air and be too fluffy. Add a few drops of your desired food coloring — one drop at a time — and mix thoroughly to get the right color.
  15. Use an icing wand to spread your buttercream over the cupcakes until they’re fully covered. Top with a daisy decoration.

Notes

You can store any extra icing at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days.

This recipe is originally from Insider.

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