Vanilla Cupcakes and Buttercream Frosting


Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • Yellow Cake
  • I use Softasilk cake flour for this recipe. It makes a nice light crumb cake.
  • Makes 24 cupcakes or 2-9-inch cake layers
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups butter, room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cup sugar
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2/3 cup half and half
  • Buttercream Frosting
  • Makes 3 cups
  • 2 lbs. powdered sugar
  • 2 ½ sticks butter, room temperature
  • 5 tablespoons (or more) half and half, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, add flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add butter and mix until smooth about 40 seconds. Add sugar and mix well about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and mix until almost combined and continue adding eggs and vanilla and mix well about 2 minutes until smooth. Add half the flour mixture and mix well. Add 1/3 cup half and half and mix well. Add remaining flour mixture and mix well. Add remaining half and half and mix well.

Pour batter into cake pans or cupcake liners. I like to use a 2-inch cookie scoop and drop a level scoop into each cupcake liner.

Bake cupcakes for 16 minutes or until the top is golden and when you pierce the cupcake with a toothpick, there are just a few crumbs on toothpick. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Bake the cake layers for 18-20 minutes or until the top is golden and when you pierce the cake with a toothpick, there are just a few crumbs on toothpick. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Buttercream: In a mixing bowl, add powdered sugar, butter, half and half and salt and start out slowly mixing until well combined. Add vanilla, and beat very well for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy, stopping to scrape the bowl. The buttercream should be light and fluffy and have a good taste of butter and a hint of salt in the background. Add a touch more half and half until it is the right consistency. Use right away.


Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • Vanilla Cupcakes
  • Makes 30 cupcakes or 2-9-inch cake layers
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups butter, room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cup sugar
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2/3 cup half and half

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, add flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add butter and mix. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add half the flour mixture and mix well. Add 1/3 cup half and half and mix well. Add remaining flour mixture and mix well. Add remaining half and half and mix well.

Pour batter into cake pans or cupcake liners.

Bake cupcakes for 16 minutes or until the top is golden and when you pierce the cupcake with a toothpick, there are just a few crumbs on toothpick. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Bake the cake layers for 18-20 minutes or until the top is golden and when you pierce the cake with a toothpick, there are just a few crumbs on toothpick. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

3 Responses to Vanilla Cupcakes and Buttercream Frosting

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