First, measure out all of the cupcake ingredients with the measuring cup and spoons. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Then, add the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium mixing bowl.
Combine the dry ingredients together with a blending whisk.
Next, in a small mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, yogurt, and vanilla extract.
Whisk the ingredients together until they’re mixed together well.
Then, in a large mixing bowl, add the room temp butter and sugar.
Beat the 2 ingredients together with a hand mixer until they’re completely combined.
Next, pour the egg mixture into the butter mixture.
Beat the ingredients again until everything is completely combined.
Then, carefully pour all of the flour mixture into the big bowl of cupcake batter.
Beat the batter again starting at a low speed and gradually increasing the speed.
Next, grab the vanilla cupcake batter, the dough scoop, the mini cupcake pans, and the foil liners.
Line the mini cupcake pans with the foil cupcake liners. Then, if desired, spray them very lightly with cooking oil spray.
Use the dough scoop to evenly distribute the cupcake batter among one of the lined cupcake pans.
Repeat the process for another batch. Bake the mini cupcakes one batch at a time for 12-15 minutes.Start with 12 minutes and check the cupcakes with a toothpick every minute after that. Since these cupcakes are so small, they can easily be over-baked.
Finally, after baking, transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack to let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.If you do not let the cupcakes cool completely first, then the frosting will just slide right off.
Making Ombre Buttercream Frosting
First, use the measuring cup and spoons to measure out all of the buttercream frosting ingredients.
Then, in a stand mixer bowl with a beater attachment, beat the room temp butter by itself for 5 minutes, or until it is double in size and creamy.
Add in the milk and vanilla, and beat all the ingredients together for 1 minute.
Then, start adding in the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time.
Mix the ingredients well between each addition.I prefer to keep my mixer on a low speed for this step, otherwise, the kitchen can get coated in powdered sugar.
After adding in all the powdered sugar, run the mixer on high speed for 8 minutes to completely blend the ingredients together.
Next, grab 3 metal piping tips and 3 piping bags.
Carefully cut the tips of the 3 piping bags large enough for the piping tips to slide through.
Then, prepare each of the bags with the piping tips by sliding the tips inside the bags and out through the holes.
Grab the pink and purple food coloring.
Next, add 1 drop of the pink food coloring into the frosting bowl. Beat the frosting until the color is thoroughly mixed in.
Then, transfer ⅓ of the pink frosting into one of the piping bag. Close the bag with a piping bag tie.
Next, add a drop of purple coloring into the pink frosting.
Beat the frosting again until the purple is completely blended in.
Transfer ½ of the light purple buttercream into another piping bag and secure it with a bag tie.
Then, add another drop of purple coloring into the remaining buttercream frosting.
Beat the frosting one more time until a deeper purple color is thoroughly mixed in.
Finally, scoop the remaining deep purple buttercream into the last piping bag. Close and secure the bag with a bag tie.
Decorating Ombre Cupcakes
First, split the cooled mini vanilla cupcakes into 3 separate groups.
Begin by piping the pink buttercream frosting on the first group of mini cupcakes.
Next, grab the piping bag with the lighter purple colored frosting.
Pipe the lighter purple frosting on the 2nd group of cupcakes.
Then, grab the darker purple frosting.
Frost the remaining cupcakes with the darker purple frosting.
Finally, arrange the frosted cupcakes on a serving plate or tray ombre style. Start with the lightest colored frosted cupcakes on one side, the light purple frosted cupcakes in the middle, and the darkest frosted cupcakes to finish the other side.
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Notes
How to Store Mini CupcakesTo store mini cupcakes: store in individual containers, or move them into an airtight container and store at room temperature for 4-5 days. Alternatively, you can cover them tightly and store them in the fridge for up to 1 week. Always label the date on the outside of the container to keep up with freshness.