Baby in Bloom Cupcakes (Printable)

Soft vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting and edible flower adornments for spring gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 vanilla extract
07 - 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Buttercream

09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 tablespoons whole milk
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Decoration

14 - 1 cup edible flowers such as violets, pansies, nasturtiums, or marigold petals
15 - Pastel-colored sprinkles, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Add flour mixture to wet ingredients in three parts, alternating with milk. Begin and end with flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
07 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
08 - In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
09 - Once cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spread buttercream on top of each cupcake.
10 - Decorate generously with edible flowers and, if desired, pastel-colored sprinkles. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The buttercream is ridiculously silky and forgiving—even if your hand isn't steady with a piping bag, it still looks polished.
  • Edible flowers transform something ordinary into something guests will actually remember and photograph.
  • They bake in under 20 minutes, so you can frost and decorate while sipping your own coffee instead of stressing.
02 -
  • Edible flowers will look beautiful for a few hours, but they'll start to soften and lose their vivid color as they sit in the moisture from the frosting—decorate as close to serving time as possible.
  • Room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion; they blend together smoothly and create a better texture than cold ingredients pulled straight from the fridge.
03 -
  • An offset spatula makes frosting look effortlessly elegant, but honestly, a butter knife works just as well if you're willing to take your time with it.
  • If your edible flowers feel even slightly damp, place them on a paper towel for a few minutes to dry completely, or they'll slip around on the frosting instead of sticking.
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