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Perfect Spring Garden Butterfly Cupcakes Easy Floral Buttercream Recipe

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Delicate pastel-hued vanilla cupcakes topped with floral buttercream swirls and whimsical edible butterfly decorations, perfect for spring occasions and gatherings.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour – 1 ½ cups (190g), sifted
  • Baking powder – 1 ½ teaspoons
  • Salt – ¼ teaspoon
  • Unsalted butter – ½ cup (115g), softened (for cupcakes)
  • Granulated sugar – ¾ cup (150g)
  • Large eggs – 2, room temperature
  • Pure vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
  • Whole milk – ½ cup (120ml)
  • Unsalted butter – 1 cup (230g), softened (for buttercream)
  • Powdered sugar – 4 cups (480g), sifted
  • Heavy cream – 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml)
  • Pure vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
  • Natural floral extracts (rose, lavender, or violet) – ½ teaspoon total
  • Gel food coloring – soft pastel shades (pink, lilac, pale yellow)
  • Edible butterfly toppers – fondant or edible wafer paper
  • Edible glitter or pearl dust – optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Using a mixer, beat ½ cup softened unsalted butter with ¾ cup granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract.
  5. Alternately add flour mixture and ½ cup whole milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix on low speed just until combined.
  6. Spoon batter evenly into liners, filling about two-thirds full.
  7. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  8. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. For buttercream, beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter until creamy (about 2 minutes). Gradually add 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, mixing on low until combined.
  10. Beat in 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon floral extracts. Adjust cream to reach pipeable consistency.
  11. Divide buttercream into 3 bowls and tint each with gel food coloring (soft pink, pale yellow, lilac).
  12. Fill a piping bag fitted with a petal tip (#104) with the colored buttercream stripes side-by-side for swirl effect.
  13. Pipe floral swirls on cooled cupcakes, starting from outside spiraling inward.
  14. Decorate with edible butterfly toppers and optionally sprinkle edible glitter or pearl dust.

Notes

Keep butter at room temperature for easier creaming and piping. Chill buttercream if too soft while piping. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting to prevent melting. Store frosted cupcakes in the fridge up to 3 days and bring to room temperature before serving. For dairy-free options, substitute milk and butter accordingly. Practice piping on parchment paper if new to floral swirls.

Nutrition

Keywords: spring cupcakes, butterfly cupcakes, floral buttercream, vanilla cupcakes, edible decorations, easy cupcakes, garden party dessert

Find it online: https://tessierecipes.com/perfect-spring-garden-butterfly-cupcakes-easy-floral-buttercream-recipe/