Awesome Vanilla Cupcakes with Pink Buttercream Frosting

Oct 23, 2012 20 Comments by poonam

A lot of requests have come via email and facebook to share the vanilla cupcake recipe.

This recipe is more or less adapted from Food Lovers Cupcakes Cookbook. Its not very difficult to make, however if you are baking for the first time,I suggest going to my Chocolate cupcake recipe HERE .

The recipe yields 12 gorgeous cupcakes with Buttercream frosting

My favourite vanilla cupcake recipe

1 1/2 sticks butter ( 3/4 cup) at room temperature so that its soft

3/4 cup Castor sugar( fine sugar)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract ( Do me a favor and dont use vanilla essence)

4 eggs beaten

1 1/2 cups self raising flour – Now in India we do not get self raising flour that easily. And if we do, its “imported”, and I dont care to pay that much. So I make my own. For every cup flour add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt . So do your math accordingly

Red food coloring- or whatever color your like!

Method

Preheat oven at 180 deg Celcius

Sift flour , baking powder and salt.

Prepare a 12 hole muffin tin. I simply use paper liners , makes cleaning super easy.

Cream Butter and sugar together until fluffy. Use your electric beater if you love your arms!

Stir in vanilla extract.

Now is the most important step. Dont mess this one up! Slowly add your beaten eggs…. slowly…. you dont want a curdled mass! Keep the beater speed on low.Once you have everything incorporated, fold in your sifted flow, gradually. And we are folding the flour – not beating!

Now fill your cupcake liners in the tin 3/4th way up.

Bake for 20 mins – Do the toothpick test

Basic Buttercream Frosting

For the buttercream frosting you need

5 tbsp soft unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

food color of choice

beat the butter , add sugar gradually beating until incorporated. Put it in the piping bad with tip of your choice. If weather is hot, refrigerate it for 30 mins before using.

If you do not have a piping bag or tip you could simple spoon the icing onto the cake for an awesome rustic look

Use colorful sprinklers for the extra jazz! Kids love colors

Tips

Always use the best quality food color available, my recommended brands are Wilton Food colors, Colourmist Gel colors- these two are easily available in India. There are others which are not so readily available.

Use good quality vanilla extract, and always check the expiration date on flour and baking powder before using . Enjoy the pretty cupcakes, they are so yummm they wont last for long