- THE ULTIMATE VANILLA CUPCAKE RECIPE
- 1 cup (225 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean (optional)
- 1 3/4 cups (175 grams) cake flour, not self-rising
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) full-fat sour cream (I used light sour cream and they were still very good)
- 1/4 cup canola oil or vegetable oil (60 ml)
- 1 tablespoon pure (not imitation) vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) whole milk (I used 2% milk as well as some organic vanilla coffee creamer)
- RED RASPBERRY BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 2 tbsp Red Raspberry Instant Jello
- 2 cups confectionery sugar
- 2-4 tbsp milk
I finally found the perfect vanilla cupcake recipe! Homemade vanilla cupcakes are not as simple as they might seem. I have tried many different recipes, but they are just never as moist as your average boxed cake. Unfortunately, boxed cakes are filled with unrecognizable ingredients and chemicals so I really try to stay away from them. Thanks to Stef’s Cupcake Project blog, I don’t think I’ll ever have to try vanilla cupcakes again! I wish I had the vanilla bean to add to the sugar because I’m sure it would have kicked them up a notch. I made these sports-themed cupcakes as well as the Pirate-themed Chocolate S’more cupcakes for a 6-year-old’s birthday party. They came out really cute and tasty. Hopefully, his kindergarten classmates enjoyed them!
Directions:
The Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
- In a small bowl, combine sugar and seeds from the vanilla bean.
- Using the back of a spoon, move around the bowl and apply pressure to break up any clumps of seeds and to better infuse the vanilla flavor into the sugar. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the vanilla bean sugar and mix until well combined.
- Add butter and mix on medium-low speed for three minutes. Because there is so little butter, you’ll end up with a very fine crumb texture.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.
- Slowly add milk and mix on low speed until just combined. The batter will be liquid. (Don’t worry, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s supposed to be that way.)
- Fill cupcake liners just over 1/2 full.
- Bake for 14 minutes and then test to see if they are done. They are done when a toothpick comes out without wet batter stuck to it. The cupcakes should appear white with specks of vanilla bean. They should not turn a golden brown. If they are not done, test again in two minutes. If they are still not done, test again in another two minutes.
- When the cupcakes are done, remove them immediately from the tins and leave them on a cooling rack (or just on your counter if you don’t own a cooling rack) to cool.