Floral Buttercream Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
For the Buttercream:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 –4 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring: pink purple, yellow, green, ivory
Tools:
- Piping bags
- Flower piping tips like Wilton 104, 125, 352
- Flower nail & parchment squares optional
Instructions
1️⃣ Bake the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Alternately add dry ingredients and milk, mixing just until combined.
- Divide batter among liners and bake for 18–20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
2️⃣ Make the Buttercream:
- Beat butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating between each addition.
- Add vanilla and 2 tbsp cream; beat until fluffy, adding more cream if needed.
- Divide into bowls and tint with gel food coloring.
3️⃣ Decorate:
- Fit piping bags with flower tips and fill with colored buttercream.
- Practice on parchment to get the hang of each flower: roses, peonies, blossoms.
- Pipe directly onto cooled cupcakes or onto parchment squares and transfer.
- Add green leaves with a leaf tip for finishing touches.
Notes
- Practice your flowers on a flat surface first — then move to the cupcakes.
- Chill cupcakes slightly before decorating if your kitchen is warm.
- Use a small offset spatula to transfer flowers if you make them separately.