# What You'll Need:
→ For the Cupcakes
01 - 1¼ cups cake flour
02 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - ½ cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg, room temperature
08 - ⅔ cup buttermilk, room temperature
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
11 - ½ teaspoon pink gel food coloring
→ For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
12 - ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
13 - 2 to 2½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
15 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
16 - Pinch of salt
17 - 1 drop pink food coloring, optional
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
04 - Lightly beat egg in a small bowl. With mixer on low speed, slowly add egg and mix until fully incorporated. Blend in vanilla extract.
05 - On low speed, add one-third of dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add half the buttermilk and mix. Repeat with another third of dry mix, remaining buttermilk, and finish with final third of dry ingredients. Scrape bowl as needed without overmixing.
06 - In a small cup, stir together white vinegar and pink gel food coloring. With mixer on low, pour mixture into batter and mix until evenly tinted.
07 - Divide batter evenly among 12 liners, filling each approximately two-thirds full. Tap pan gently to release air bubbles.
08 - Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
09 - Let cupcakes rest in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
10 - In a clean bowl, beat butter on medium speed until creamy for about 1 minute. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar on low speed, then increase to medium and beat until smooth for about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, cream, and salt. Beat on medium-high for 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy. Adjust consistency with additional sugar or cream as needed. Mix in pink food coloring if desired.
11 - Transfer buttercream to a piping bag with preferred tip or use a small offset spatula. Frost each cooled cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, edible pearls, or pink sanding sugar as desired.
