Vanilla Cupcakes

These cupcakes are quick, easy and delicious. They are perfect as they are, or are a great starting point for all of your creative cupcake ideas, ready to be paired with different fillings, frostings, and anything you've been dreaming of.

Recipe

Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups Flour

½ tsp Salt

½ tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 cups Sugar

½ cup Vegetable Oil

1 cup Milk

1 Egg

½ tsp Vanilla

1 cupcake tray for 12 cupcakes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325℉

2. Line a cupcake tray with paper liners

3. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar in your mixing bowl. Whisk them all together, this will help prevent lumps.

4. In another bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, milk, eggs and vanilla.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment, mix on low until everything is combined. Scrape the bottom with a spatula. Mix on medium speed for about two minutes. This can also be done with a hand mixer or a spatula, though mixing by hand will take a little longer.

6. Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake tray. Each cup should be about ⅔ full. Don’t over-fill, as the cake will rise in the oven.

7. Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes, turning half way through. The cupcakes will be done when a toothpick comes out clean, and the cake springs back up when you gently press the top.

8. Let cool in the pans for about an hour, then de-pan and bring to room temperature. You can pack up the cupcakes and refrigerate for a few days, or freeze them for later.

Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients:

75g     Egg Whites

150g    Sugar

225g    Butter - Room Temperature

½ tsp Vanilla

Directions:

1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a stainless steel bowl, or your stand mixer bowl. Heat over a double boiler, whisking frequently, until the sugar granules have all dissolved. The egg whites should be warm.

2. Pour into mixer with the whisk attachment, and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form, and the meringue is room temperature.

3. Reduce to low speed, and add the soft butter in small pieces. When all the butter has been added, bring up the speed and mix until smooth, scraping down the bowl a few times.

4. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.

5. The buttercream should be smooth, silky, and ready to apply to cake.

Gather all ingredients, and pre-heat your oven to 325℉

Into your mixing bowl, measure 1 ¼ cups of flour,

½ teaspoon salt,

½ teaspoon baking powder,

1 teaspoon baking soda,

and 1 cup of white sugar.

Whisk all the dry ingredients together, this will help prevent lumps

In a separate bowl, measure 1 cup of milk,

½ cup of vegetable oil,

1 egg,

and ½ tsp vanilla extract.

Whisk together the wet ingredients.

Pour the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.

Whisk on low speed until combined

Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, and mix on medium speed for about two minutes, until the batter is smooth.

Prepare your cupcake tray with paper liners, and scoop the batter into the cups.

There should be just enough batter for 12 cups to be about ⅔ filled.

Bake at 325℉ for about 15 - 20 minutes, until the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

While the cupcakes cool, prepare the vanilla buttercream. For detailed instructions, follow this link for Swiss Meringue Buttercream, but use 75g egg whites, 150g sugar, 225g butter, and ½ tsp vanilla.

Insert an icing tip into a piping bag, and fill with your buttercream. I like star tip #824. I coloured my buttercream pink for a special occasion.

Decorate the cupcakes with buttercream rosettes, swirls or whatever you like.

These cupcakes are yummiest at room temperature, when the icing is smooth and creamy.

Try not to eat all 12 cupcakes in one sitting, but if you do, I won't tell anybody.

Enjoy!