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vanilla cupcake with frosting and sprinkles in teal wrapper on white mini cake stand
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5 from 7 votes

Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes

Author: Dorothy Kern

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk or combine 3/4 cup milk + 1 teaspoon white vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes

For the filling:

  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter extract

For the frosting:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4  cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with liners (makes 12-15).
  • Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
  • Add melted butter to a large bowl and mix in sugar with a hand mixer for 30 seconds until thick and yellow. Add eggs one at at time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla bean paste.
  • Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Don’t over mix! Divide batter among liners, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. (Mine took less than 20, so check at 15!) Cool completely before frosting!
  • To make the filling: beat heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Whisk in both extracts.
  • To make the frosting: Beat butter until creamy. Beat in salt and 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time until it’s all added.
  • Beat in vanilla bean paste and 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream. Add more cream as needed for desired consistency.
  • To fill cupcakes: you can either fill a pastry bag fitted with a round tip and poke it into the center of the cupcake to fill, or you can carefully cut out a hole in the center and fill with a spoon.
  • Frost cupcakes by placing frosting in a pastry bag. I like the 1M tip, it gives pretty swirls. Add sprinkles for fun!
  • Note: you can make the frosting the day before, but let it come to room temperature before using.
  • Find vanilla bean paste on amazon, or at stores like William's-Sonoma or Sur la Table.