Valentines Day Cupcakes
Make these adorable Valentine's Day Cupcakes with pink buttercream frosting, chocolate hearts, and white chocolate strawberries. Perfect romantic dessert for your special someone.
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- whisk
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- muffin tin
- wire rack
- offset spatula or piping bag
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 0.5 cup whole milk at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 3.5 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
- 0.25 cup whole milk at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- red gel food coloring
For decoration
- 24 chocolate heart candies
- 12 white chocolate-dipped strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined.
- In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until it is pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Mix in the pure vanilla extract.
- With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry flour mixture and the whole milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until the batter is smooth and no streaks of flour remain; be careful not to overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a clean large bowl, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until very light and fluffy. Gradually add the sifted confectioners' sugar with the mixer on low, then pour in the whole milk and pure vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 more minutes until the frosting is very smooth and spreadable. Add red gel food coloring a few drops at a time, beating after each addition, until you reach your desired shade of pink or red.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with the buttercream using an offset spatula or a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Decorate each frosted cupcake with two chocolate heart candies and top with one white chocolate-dipped strawberry.
Notes
Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for a smooth batter and frosting.