Spring Cupcakes Pastel Butterfly Buttercream (Printable Version)

Light vanilla cupcakes with swirled pastel buttercream and edible butterfly decorations for spring celebrations.

# What You Need:

→ For the Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/4 tsp baking soda
04 - 1/4 tsp salt
05 - 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
09 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, room temperature

→ For the Pastel Butterfly Buttercream

10 - 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
11 - 3 1/2 cups (440 g) powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 tbsp whole milk
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
14 - Gel food coloring: pastel pink, yellow, green, blue, and purple

→ For Decoration

15 - Edible butterfly decorations or wafer paper butterflies
16 - Sprinkles (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).
04 - Beat in eggs, one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Add the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the milk, and mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
07 - Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
08 - For the buttercream, beat the softened butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low.
09 - Add milk and vanilla extract; beat on high for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
10 - Divide buttercream among 4–5 bowls. Tint each portion with a different pastel gel color, mixing well.
11 - Fit a piping bag with a large star tip. Spoon alternate colors side by side into the bag for a swirled effect.
12 - Pipe buttercream onto cooled cupcakes in a generous swirl.
13 - Top each cupcake with butterfly decorations and sprinkles as desired.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • These cupcakes combine a tender vanilla crumb with playful colors so they look like spring on a plate.
  • The buttercream is forgiving so you can mix and match pastel shades without stress.
02 -
  • Do not overmix the batter once the flour goes in or the cupcakes will be dense.
  • Loading several pastel colors side by side into the bag creates a pretty marbled swirl without special tips.
03 -
  • Beat the butter for the frosting until it is almost pale before adding sugar to get a light airy texture.
  • Tint each portion conservatively because gel colors deepen as they sit and you can always add more.
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