I'm a Barbie Girl, In a Barbie World

(above) Barbie Cupcakes - white cupcakes with butter frosting.

I believe that this is the sort of cupcake that make cupcake bakeries famous; in fact, I know it. Vanilla cupcakes with pink buttercream frosting (nicknamed the "Barbie Cake") were actually the first type of cupcake that Magnolia Bakery ever sold. The best memories I have of barbies is my sister ripping the heads off her barbie dolls.

I tried a new recipe and made white cupcakes with butter frosting that I tinted pink. The cupcakes (which technically aren't even white because they contain egg yolks) are honestly, really really good. The cake has a texture that I can only really describe as fluffy and has a good, sweet buttery flavor to it. If you are going to try one vanilla cupcake recipe from my blog, I'd recommend this one. The frosting, by the way, is wonderful as well. I usually ignore recipes for buttercream frosting and just dump enough icing sugar until the frosting seems right. Don't do that. Follow this recipe and you will get a lovely, light and creamy frosting that unlike many buttercreams, isn't overwhelmingly sweet.

(above) Evenly fill the cups with batter.

(above) These cupcakes were done after around 13-14 minutes.

(above) The cupcakes, frosted and sprinkled!

(above) Sweet, cute and pretty. It's pretty clear why these cupcakes are named after barbie.

White Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

Recipe from Joy of Baking

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups (175 grams) sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar, divided
2 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and lightly butter or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In a mixing bowl sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add 3/4 cup (150 grams) of the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.Beat in the vanilla extract. Then,with the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
3. In a clean bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup (50 grams) of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula gently fold a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and then fold in the remaining whites until combined. Do not over mix the batter or it will deflate.
4. Evenly fill the 12 muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Butter Frosting

Recipe from Joy of Baking

Ingredients:
2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-3tablespoons milk or light cream

Directions:

1. In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract.
2. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Tint the frosting with desired food color.