Electric Pink Vanilla Cupcakes + Swiss Meringue Buttercream

These cupcakes are a party. They are a little bit out of control and a lot pink. They taste like a birthday miracle.

I made these for a lovely lady I work with. You see, she loves the color pink, gummy bears and candy of all sorts. I figured I’d do it up.

These are super girly, but I have proof that boys can appreciate these too. Their tastiness outweighs their girliness, I guess.

By the way, have you guys ever made Swiss Meringue Buttercream? I was intimidated by it for awhile, but now I’m mostly excited about it! I’m telling you guys, just make it! Make it once and you’ll have serious buttercream confidence.

Electric Pink Vanilla Cupcakes {makes almost 24}
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/8 t pink gel paste food coloring
• 3 eggs
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and food coloring until light and fluffy. Add eggs, One at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk until blended.
3. Fill each paper-lined muffin cup two-thirds full. Bake for 23-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans and cool the rest of the way on a wire rack.

My cake transporter works good at transporting a cupcake party, too.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream* {enough for piping onto 16 cupcakes}
Recipe + tips from Whisk-Kid

Ingredients:

• 5 large egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 t vanilla

Directions:

1. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer or another bowl that’s heat proof. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water (double-boiler style) and whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved. It takes about 5 minutes. You can test whether the sugar is dissolved by sticking your finger in the mixture and seeing if it’s grainy or not. When it’s no longer grainy remove from the double boiler.
2. Beat on high speed using your stand mixer or an electric hand mixer for 10-15 minutes, or until the egg white mixture has turned into meringue and has increased in volume and is marshmallowy and glossy. The bottom of the bowl should be room temperature by this time.
3. At this point start adding the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Waiting until the butter is incorporated before adding more. If it helps, count to 15 between adding the butter.
4. Once all the butter is added keep whipping until nice and smooth and fabulous, only a couple minutes more. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. If it gets curdled-looking, just keep whipping and it’ll smooth out. If it gets too runny, refrigerate for about 15 minutes and then keep whipping. Otherwise, fill your piping bag and pipe this frosting onto your bright pink cupcakes.

*TIP: For more help on this buttercream and step by step photos click here. The Whisk Kid has a really easy to follow tutorial with tips to help your buttercream turn out fabulous.

And here’s little Elliot with his new toy from his Aunt Lora.