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The dessert, Chic bistro

Birthday cupcakes

Birthday cupcakes are soft little cakes topped with a swirl of pink buttercream, this recipe makes 12 cupcakes for 6 people. They take 45 minutes of active work, the cakes are baked in the morning and the frosting is piped just before guests arrive. The recipe is easy, costs €1.40 per person, and works best when the butter for the frosting is truly soft and creamy before whipping.

Nice and fluffy cupcakes with a pink buttercream swirl, one per candle, and everyone just helps themselves.

Birthday cupcakes
For
6 people
Work
45 min
Total time
1 h 40
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.40
Calories per person
450 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Under a light frosting that melts on the tongue, the crumb stays soft and lightly vanilla scented, the kind of cake that wins over kids and adults alike. The pink swirl and sugar sprinkles instantly set a festive mood, without needing a big layer cake that has to be sliced and shared.

This is the right recipe for a family birthday, a kids party, or an afternoon celebration that stretches on for hours. Everyone grabs their own cupcake with its candle, so there's no cutting and no uneven slices, and the rest of the menu can stay simple since a sweet snack doesn't call for a heavy starter.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 3 steps, 50 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

Bake the cupcakes that same morning, then let them cool completely on a wire rack while you handle other things. Right before guests arrive, whip the buttercream and pipe the swirls with the sprinkles on top. At serving time, all that's left is sticking in the candles and lighting them at the table.

The ingredients

6 people

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 200 g
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 150 g
  • Baking powderoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Vanilla extractoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Powdered sugaroften in the pantry 400 g
  • Pink food coloringoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sugar sprinklesoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Cupcake liners 12

Dairy

  • Soft butter 120 g
  • Eggs 2
  • Milk 12 cl
  • Softened butter for the frosting 250 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Beat the soft butter with the sugar, add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, the flour mixed with the baking powder, and the milk.

    Mix just until the batter is smooth, overmixing gives dry cupcakes.

  2. Fill 12 liners two thirds full in a muffin tin and bake at 180°C. 20 min

    Use an ice cream scoop for even portions.

  3. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack. 30 min

    Frosting melts instantly on a warm cake, so be patient.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Whip the softened butter with the sifted powdered sugar and a splash of milk, add the coloring, and beat until the frosting is light and airy.

    Add the coloring drop by drop, the shade deepens over twenty minutes.

  2. Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe a swirl of frosting on each cupcake, then scatter with sprinkles.

    Start from the edge and spiral upward toward the center for a neat dome shape.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Stick a candle into each cupcake and light them at the table.

    Keep them at room temperature, the frosting stiffens and loses flavor in the fridge.

Our tips to get it right

  • Sift the powdered sugar well before beating it with the butter, otherwise the frosting keeps small lumps that show up when you pipe it.
  • If your kitchen runs warm, chill the buttercream for ten minutes before loading the piping bag, it will hold its swirl much better.
  • Always make a couple more cupcakes than candles, there's usually a kid who wants seconds before dessert is even over.

The variations

  • Swap the pink food coloring for yellow or blue depending on the birthday theme, the rest of the recipe stays the same.
  • For a chocolate version, replace 30 grams of flour with cocoa powder in the batter, everything else stays unchanged.
  • To go faster with kids around, let them pipe and decorate their own cupcakes with the sprinkles, it turns into an activity on its own.

What to serve it with

  • Fruit juice or homemade lemonade
  • Tea or coffee for the adults
  • A side of fresh fruit salad

Storage

The cupcakes keep for 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature, the buttercream stiffens in the fridge and loses its softness. You can bake the plain cakes the day before and frost them the same day, but don't freeze them once decorated.

Questions about this recipe

Can you make these cupcakes without food coloring?

Yes, the frosting stays white and just as good, it's purely a matter of looks. You can also use a natural coloring like beet powder for a softer shade.

How do you get a neat swirl with the piping bag?

Use a fairly wide star tip and always start from the outer edge of the cupcake. Then spiral inward in a tight coil while keeping steady pressure on the bag.

Can you replace the milk with a plant based milk?

Yes, almond or oat milk works fine in the batter without changing the texture. For the buttercream, keep a bit of regular milk if you can, it binds the powdered sugar more smoothly.

How many cupcakes does this recipe make?

This recipe makes exactly 12 cupcakes with the quantities given, which is two per person for 6 guests. That's enough for a birthday snack with one candle on each cake.

Can birthday cupcakes with pink buttercream swirl be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 45 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 3 steps, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make birthday cupcakes with pink buttercream swirl?

Allow 1 h 40 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 45 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in birthday cupcakes with pink buttercream swirl?

About 450 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does birthday cupcakes with pink buttercream swirl cost?

About €1.40 per person, that's €8.40 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

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