Here’s a whimsical recipe for Sugar Plum Fairy Cupcakes — inspired by the festive sweetness of The Nutcracker, featuring light vanilla cupcakes with a magical plum‑scented frosting.
🧁 Sugar Plum Fairy Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- Optional: ¼ tsp almond extract
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond or plum extract (or a drop of real plum syrup)
- Optional: purple food coloring
Decoration
- Edible glitter or shimmer dust
- Sugar pearls or sprinkles
Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat Oven
- Preheat to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a 12‑cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2️⃣ Make Cupcakes
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla (and almond extract if using).
- Gradually mix in dry ingredients, alternating with milk, until smooth.
- Divide batter evenly into cupcake liners.
3️⃣ Bake
- Bake 18–22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
4️⃣ Make Frosting
- Beat butter until creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.
- Add milk, vanilla, and plum or almond extract.
- Add food coloring if desired. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
5️⃣ Decorate
- Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
- Sprinkle with edible glitter, shimmer dust, or sugar pearls.
- Optional: top with a sugared plum slice or fondant star for extra “fairy” magic.
Tips & Variations
- Plum Jam Filling: Hollow the cupcakes slightly and add a teaspoon of plum jam before frosting.
- Purple Hues: Use violet or lilac frosting for a whimsical Sugar Plum Fairy theme.
- Sparkle: Lightly brush frosting with edible shimmer spray for a sparkling effect.
If you like, I can also give a mini cupcake version with marbled frosting and candy stars that looks like it came straight from the Nutcracker ballet — perfect for a holiday party.
Do you want me to create that version?
