classic Vanilla Cupcakes
This classic vanilla cupcake recipe yields a soft and tender crumb that is reminiscent of a cupcake made from the box with authentic vanilla flavor.
Salted butter and buttermilk provide tang and tenderness to the crumb of the cake, while the oil maintains moisture.
The brown sugar (in addition to granulated sugar) and milk powder punch up the flavor, making a deliciously golden and slightly caramelized cupcake.
reverse-creaming method
This recipe uses a method known as Reverse Creaming to achieve the nostalgic texture and softness of a cake made from the box.
- Rather than creaming the butter and sugar together, the softened butter is beaten with the dry ingredients to create a sandy texture, coating all the flour in fat (which limits gluten development, resulting in a more tender cake)
- A portion of the wet ingredients are added to the sandy flour and mixed on medium high speed until a thick and aerated ice cream-like consistency is achieved (this helps form the cake’s structure)
- The remaining wet ingredients are then incorporated at a slower speed, resulting in an incredible smooth and creamy batter that bakes beautifully
let's talk frosting
When it comes to cupcakes, I want that classic, nostalgic American Buttercream.
If you’ve never made American Buttercream, it’s essentially butter and confectioners’ sugar whipped together. It’s that thick, colorful and slightly crusted frosting you probably had while chowing down on sheet cake at a child’s birthday party.
I like to beat the buttercream on a low speed to reduce any air bubbles, and add healthy amounts of pure vanilla extract and heavy cream for a smooth and flavorful frosting that isn’t excessively sweet. It’s like, “adult friendly” or whatever.
ingredients
For this recipe, it is crucial for all ingredients to be room temperature. This will ensure a smooth and homogenous batter, rather than a curdled or lumpy batter due to the clash of combining cold and warm ingredients together.
- Cake Flour A key ingredient in this recipe that cannot be substituted with all-purpose flour. Cake flour has a lower protein content compared to all-purpose flour, which is necessary for the texture we are looking for.
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Dry Milk Powder works as a major flavor booster in this recipe.
- Granulated Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar
- Salted Butter softened at room temperature
- Buttermilk (whole milk & vinegar/lemon juice) at room temperature. I rarely ever have actual buttermilk on hand, so this is a fine substitute.
- Oil can be any neutral oil, such as canola, vegetable or grapeseed. I’ve also made this recipe using olive oil and it really brightens up the flavor profile.
- Large Egg at room temperature.
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Confectioners’ Sugar
- Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
- Heavy Cream
step by step: the process
Prepare the Ingredients
Prepare the buttermilk by adding the vinegar to the whole milk. Set it aside for about 10 minutes to thicken.
To a large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer), combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, milk powder and sea salt. Add in the salted butter, and set aside. Combine the egg, buttermilk, vanilla and oil together in a glass-measuring cup. Whisk together until well combined and set aside.
Make the Cake Batter
Using an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment), beat the dry ingredients and sugars and softened butter together on medium-low speed until a sandy texture is achieved.
Add in about ⅔ of the liquid mixture, and turn the speed up to medium high (stand mixer speed setting 4) for 1 minute. The mixture will become pale and thick. Scrape the sides with a rubber spatula to ensure it is all incorporated.
Add the remaining ⅓ of the liquid in three separate increments. Mix on low speed for no more than 30 seconds after each addition.
Bake the Cupcakes
Fill each liner no more than ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter. Bake the cupcakes at 350 F/180 C for 18-20 minutes, depending on your oven. They will spring back when pressed, and have a lovely golden brown color.
Allow the cakes to cool on a wire rack (removed from the pan) while preparing the buttercream.
Prepare the Buttercream
To the bowl of a stand mixer, add 1 cup, or 226 grams of softened, salted butter. Beat the butter on medium high speed for about 5 minutes until pale, light and whipped.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add in half of the confectioners’ sugar. Beat on low for about 30 seconds until mostly incorporated, then turn the speed up to medium high and beat for 2-3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining half of the confectioners’ sugar.
Add in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Beat the buttercream on medium high speed for 1 minute, and then stop to scrape the bowl again. Finally, allow the mixer to run on low speed for 5 minutes. The paddle will slowly beat through the buttercream, making it creamy and smooth, reducing any air bubbles.
The buttercream when finished will be a soft, pale white color, with a creamy texture that melts in your mouth.
Assemble the Cupcakes
Fill a piping bag with the buttercream, and use a decorate piping tip of your choice. You can also use an ice cream scoop, or rubber spatula to frost your cupcakes.
Frost each cupcake with a generous amount of buttercream. Feel free to top with sprinkles, fresh fruit, or a sprinkling of brown sugar (my personal favorite) and enjoy!
Classic Vanilla Cupcakes
Equipment
- Standard Paper Liners for Cupcakes or Muffins
- 1 Electric Hand Mixer
- 1 Stand Mixer optional
- 1 Standard Muffin Baking Tray
- 1 Large Piping Bag with Tip of Choice optional
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 190 grams cake flour spooned and leveled*
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 75 grams light brown sugar
- 16 grams dry milk powder
- 1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 113 grams salted butter softened at room temperature
- 120 ml whole milk for "buttermilk", room temperature
- ½ tablespoon vinegar white or apple cider, for "buttermilk"
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 30 ml oil canola, vegetable, grapeseed or olive
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
- 226 grams salted butter softened at room temperature
- 450 grams confectioners' sugar
- 60 ml heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare the Ingredients
- Prepare the buttermilk by stirring the vinegar into the whole milk. Set it aside for about 10 minutes to thicken.
- To a large bowl, combine the cake flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, milk powder and sea salt. Add in the salted butter, and set aside.
- Combine the egg, buttermilk, vanilla extract and oil together in a glass-measuring cup. Whisk together until well combined and set aside.
Make the Cupcakes
- Beat the dry ingredients, sugars and softened butter together on medium-low speed until a sandy texture is achieved.
- Add in ⅔ of the liquid mixture, and turn the speed up to medium high (stand mixer speed setting 4) for 1 minute until the mixture is pale and thick.
- Add the remaining ⅓ of the liquid in three separate increments, and mix on low for no more than 30 seconds after each addition.
- Fill each liner no more than ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter.
- Bake the cupcakes at 350 ℉/180 ℃ for 18-20 minutes, depending on your oven.
Make the Vanilla Buttercream
- Beat 1 cup, or 226 grams of softened, salted butter on medium high speed for about 5 minutes until pale, light and whipped.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add in half of the confectioners’ sugar and beat on low for about 30 seconds or until mostly incorporated.
- Turn the speed up to medium high and beat for 2-3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining half of the confectioners’ sugar.
- Add in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Beat the buttercream on medium high speed for 1 minute, and then stop to scrape the bowl again.
- Turn the mixer speed to low for 5 minutes to finish the buttercream and reduce air bubbles, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through.
Assemble the Cupcakes
- Fill a piping bag with the buttercream, using a decorate tip of your choice. You can also use an ice cream scoop, or rubber spatula to frost your cupcakes.
- Frost each cupcake with a generous amount of buttercream. Top them with sprinkles, fresh fruit, or a sprinkling of brown sugar if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
-
- Fill the bag with your desired amount of buttercream, pressing it down into the bag with a rubber spatula. The cup will serve as a holder for the piping bag as you fill it.
- Remove the piping bag, and twist the end closed, keeping it in place with your hand.
I made these for my mom’s birthday, and everyone loved them! They had a beautiful color, rich flavor and very moist and tender. My mom loves blackberry, so I filled the cupcakes with blackberry jam and added jam to the cream cheese frosting as well. I’ll make them again for sure.
Thank you so much Valarie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe.