Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1½ cups sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- ½ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup culinary rose water
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
Rose Buttercream
- 1 stick butter, softened (equivalent to ½ cup or 113g)
- 2 tbsp culinary rose water
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 4½–5 cups powdered sugar
- ¼–⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2–3 drops pink food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 12-cup muffin tins with parchment liners to prevent sticking.
- Make cupcake batter: In a large bowl, beat the vegetable oil and sugar together for 2–3 minutes until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla bean paste and Greek yogurt until fully incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients and liquids: Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt to the wet mixture. With the mixer running on low speed, carefully stream in the rose water followed by the buttermilk. Mix just until combined; avoid overmixing to keep the cupcakes tender.
- Fill and bake cupcakes: Spoon the batter into the prepared liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Prepare rose buttercream: In a mixing bowl, whip softened butter, vanilla bean paste, and rose water until smooth and combined. Gradually add 4½ cups powdered sugar and ¼ cup heavy cream. Beat on high speed for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Adjust consistency by adding additional cream if necessary.
- Add color to buttercream: Divide the buttercream in half. Add 2–3 drops of pink food coloring to one half and mix until evenly colored.
- Decorate cupcakes: Use a piping bag fitted with a rosette tip to pipe pink buttercream onto each cupcake in a swirl pattern. As you near the end of the pink buttercream, switch to the white buttercream to create a beautiful two-toned rose effect.
Notes
- Ensure eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature for best mixing results and texture.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep cupcakes tender and light.
- You can adjust the amount of rose water to suit your taste preference, but be cautious as it is potent.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- To make the recipe gluten free, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that measures 1:1.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
