Baby in Bloom Cupcakes Buttercream (Printable)

Soft vanilla cupcakes adorned with colorful piped buttercream flowers, perfect for festive gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ For the Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
05 - 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
06 - 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ For the Buttercream Flowers

09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
12 - 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13 - Food coloring in pink, yellow, green, and purple

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Add half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Pour in milk, then add the remaining flour mixture, mixing until batter is smooth.
06 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
07 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
08 - Beat softened butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, mixing thoroughly.
09 - Add vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons milk; beat until smooth and fluffy. Add additional milk as needed to reach proper piping consistency.
10 - Divide buttercream into separate bowls and tint each with desired food coloring, mixing until color is evenly distributed.
11 - Fit piping bags with assorted flower and leaf tips such as Wilton 104, 352, or 1M. Fill each bag with colored buttercream.
12 - Pipe various buttercream flowers and leaves onto cooled cupcakes using different colors and techniques to create a blooming garden effect.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • The vanilla is subtle enough to let your beautiful piping be the real star, but rich enough that people actually want to eat them.
  • You can make the cupcakes a day ahead and decorate in the morning, which means less stress and more time to panic about your piping technique.
02 -
  • Practicing your piping technique on parchment paper first is the difference between flowers that look intentional and ones that look like an accident.
  • Buttercream consistency is everything—too soft and your flowers collapse, too stiff and you'll cramp your hand before you finish two cupcakes.
03 -
  • Gel food coloring is your friend here—liquid coloring will thin your frosting and ruin your piping consistency, while gel colors stay concentrated and stiff.
  • Invest in quality piping tips and hold them at different angles to create different flower shapes without switching tips constantly.
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