Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting (Perfection!!)
July 20, 2011 § 4 Comments
I found it. FINALLY. The perfect vanilla cake-recipe.
I’ve had some disappointments in the past – the recipes I tried were a little too dense, a little too coarse, a little too dry, etc. But this, everyone, this is the absolute perfect combination of moist, light, and fluffines that will blow your mind.
Cupcakes are my major weakness. I immediately want one even after I hear the word “cupcake” being said, so the other day when I ordered 3-dozen cupcakess from Billy’s Bakery for our best-selling book’s Publisher, I knew I had to satisfy my need. And I did. (A little too much.)
I am a fan of most bakery’s cupcakes in the city – Magnolia, Buttercream Bake Shop, tbsp, and Sugar Sweet Sunshine. I want to try all of them!
Frosting:
1. I love a light, whipped frosting so I highly recommend this one. I’m also a little paranoid lately about all the artificial chemicals in food-coloring so I made my own using crushed cherry-juice. I think it was worth it and looks decent!
2. I know there’s an insane amount of pictures, but it’s because I think cupcakes are so dang cute.
Stephanie’s Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Makes 18 Cupcakes
Total preparation and cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 heaping tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 (1 1/4 cup) sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- 1/4 cup of milk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until nice and fluffy, around 2-3 minutes.
- Add vanilla, mix 1 minute.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each one. Mixture might look curdled, it’s all good!
- Add milk and oil, mix well.
- Add flour mixture in 2-3 installments, and mix until JUST combined. Over-mixing = death of a light, moist cake.
- Line your cupcake pans with cupcake liners, and add around 2 heaping tablespoons of batter to each. They should look around 2/3-3/4 full. Don’t put too much batter or else it will spill out of the pan.
- Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes, mine took 19 minutes exactly.
- COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE FROSTING OR ELSE YOU WILL HAVE A FROSTING DISASTER!
Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Adapted from Billy’s Bakery
Ingredients
- 1/2 stick butter, room temperature
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Juice of 1 crushed cherry (optional)
Directions
- In a stand-mixer, cream butter until smooth – around 3 minutes.
- Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, milk, and vanilla. Mix until desired consistency.
- I frosted half with white frosting, and half using the crushed-cherry-tinted ones. Go crazy!
my golden hour 
Oh my goodness, that looks so good! I love all the pics you took! I only wish my photo taking skills were as good as yours! Thanks for sharing! I’m new to blogging and love that there is a foodie community! If you have time, please check out my blog: http://shecooksandheeats.wordpress.com/. And of course! Any advice would be great 🙂
Kat – thank you so much for your lovely, kind words! I don’t know if I’m in any position to offer advice, but your blog is AWESOME and so cute! Definitely will be following your posts from now on…have an amazing weekend! xo S
awesome. i just drooled on my keyboard. it’s been so long since i’ve had a cupcakeeeee WAHHHH this must be rectified asap!
Hey Sweet Thang….I’ll make these for you the next time I see you! xoxo