Magnolia cupcakes

Originally uploaded by lools.

I was taking a nap this afternoon when the sound of the doorbell disturbed me. I sleepily opened the door only to find my brother-in-law and his wife with a box of cupcakes. They'd brunched in the West Village and then swung by the famous Magnolia Bakery for dessert. They picked up some cupcakes for me on their way home. I was thrilled to bits at their thoughtful gesture though I could easily pass on the calorie intake after my decadent birthday week. After reading so much about Magnolia cupcakes on various blogs, I was intrigued to try it finally.

The cholcolate cupcake with lemon green frosting looked so innocently delicious. It brought back memories of undergraduate days when we would gorge on cupcakes on study breaks, craving sugar highs to keep us going till we finished our homework assignments. Those were the commerically produced and marketed types though, not the highest quality ones from the best bakery in Manhattan. The chocolate cupcake I bit into was moist and wonderfully light. The icing was sweeter than condensed milk and honey and sugar combined which is my father-in-law's favourite dessert! Seriously, the Magnolia icing is only for the most hardcore sugar lovers. All others will have had enough after one small bite.

Here's the recipe,courtesy of da*xiang blog for all those wanting to replicate this at home:

Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes

Ingredients
CAKE
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
1 cups (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft
8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour three 9- x 2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper.

2. To make the cake: In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flours and add in four parts, alternating with the milk and the vanilla extract, beating well after each addition. Divide batter among the cake pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

3. If you're making cupcakes, line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Spoon the batter into the cups about three-quarters full. Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 20 to 22 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on a rack before icing. When cake has cooled, ice between the layers, then ice top and sides of cake.

4. To make the icing: Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and the vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (you may very well not need all of the sugar). If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. Use and store icing at room temperature, as icing will set if chilled. Can store in an airtight container for up to three days.