American Horror Story: Freak Show – Pink Cupcakes

Ingredients:

batter

• 224g (1 1/2cup / 8oz) – all purpose flour, sifted
• 200g (1 cup / 7oz) – granulated sugar
• 2 tsp – baking powder
• 1 tsp – salt
• 230g (1 cup / 8oz) – unsalted butter, softened
• 110g (1/2 cup / 4oz) – sour cream
• 4 (220g) – eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp – vanilla extract

buttercream

• 230g (1 cup / 8oz) – unsalted butter, softened
• 400g (4 cups, 14oz) – powdered sugar, sifted
• 5 tbsp – cream
• 1 tsp – vanilla extract
• 2 drops – pink gel food coloring

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Combine all your dries in a mixer bowl and mix to combine.  Add your softened butter, vanilla extract, and sour cream.  Mix until it’s just about incorporated and add one egg at a time while scraping the bowl in between.
2. Evenly scoop the batter into a prepared cupcake tin.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and firm or when a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.  Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then let the cupcakes cool on a rack.
3. In a clean mixing bowl with paddle attachment, add the butter and mix until smooth and soft.  Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix until the sugar is hydrated.  Add the cream and mix to combine.  If you find that the buttercream is too stiff, add another tablespoon of cream.  Add the two drops of pink food gel coloring and mix until you no longer have any white streaks.
4. Prepare a piping bag with large round tip (I used Ateco 860). Pipe the buttercream starting from the outside of the cupcake and work your way in.