Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes

The Foodies' KitchenDecember 16, 2014

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We have been searching for the best vanilla cupcakes. Sure, we have these Vanilla Yogurt Cupcakes and these Vanilla Cupcakes… but when trying to bake a big batch for a party or a bake sale as we were preparing for, a 12 cupcake recipe just won’t do. We tested about 6 recipes. All with different preparation methods, oven temperatures and ingredients, and we learned a few things.

But the main reason we have been searching for the perfect vanilla cupcakes was because we were baking plenty of cupcakes ourselves for #BakeADifference #CupcakesForToys. We baked 200 cupcakes, 100 chocolate and 100 lemon (a slight variation of this recipe that we will share on our post bellow). These cupcakes were exchanged for toys for the kids of DAR this past Sunday Dec 14th, so here is a big THANK YOU!

Thank you to all of you who got there early in the morning, just before lunch, or right after… We gathered so many toys for the kids. This was our first time baking so many cupcakes each, and we’re glad it went just as planned! Thank you also to the rest of the girls, Mariade and Chan from The Baking Room Magazine, Pili from Vitas Mercado Gourmet and Carmen from Cioccolato Arte en Chocolate. Thank you as well to our sponsors Centro Gourmet KitchenAid Guatemala, Meraki Guatemala (who lend us the gorgeous cake stands), Ghirardelli Guatemala, The Chef’s Store, Vivendo de Radiovisión, Vireo Foods, Harinas La Dueña, and Guenari. We couldn’t have done it without you.

This was a great activity were we all joined forces and baked 800 cupcakes to collect all of the toys! We had different flavors: Funfetti Cupcakes and Banana Caramel Cupcakes were made by The Baking Room Magazine; then, the Red Velvet Cupcakes and Carrot Cupcakes by Cioccolato Arte en Chocolate; Vanilla & Passion Fruit Cupcakes and Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes by Vitas Mercado Gourmet; and finally we prepared a classic Chocolate Cupcake and a Lemon Vanilla Cupcake.

And if you still want to help out, you can always donate directly to DAR! Any donation, small or big, makes a huge difference in their lives.

You can donate here

Now, back to the recipe. Some of the things we learned is that Cake Flour is crucial for light vanilla cupcakes, but it doesn’t mean that it’s the only way to bake them. You can easily make your own cake flour, we love this simple recipe from Joy the Baker: for every cup of cake flour you need, take out two tablespoons of all-purpose flour and add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift a few times and you’re ready to roll. Second, preparation. It’s crucial you do not over beat. This recipe bellow uses the all-in-one method. That is, dumping all the dry ingredients into the mixer, add the wet ingredients… and it’s done! This is one of the best ways to avoid over mixing. You can use this recipe as a base for many flavors! Check the notes at the end of the recipe for a lemon version of this cupcake.

Helga & Kitty

Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes

Adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart
Yields: 30 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 ¾ cups cake flour*
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 eggs
1 ½ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
One recipe of Marshmallow Frosting or Whipping Cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low-speed until combined.
Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat.
Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about ⅔ full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Decorate the cupcakes after they have cooled completely.

Notes:

If you don’t have cake flour available, replace both flours for 3 cups minus 2 ½ tablespoons of all-purpose flour, and 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch. This is like making your own cake flour at home. Sift it three times. Then add the rest of the dry ingredients in step 2 and continue on to step 3.
If you want to make a citrus version, such as lemon, you can add the juice and zest of 4 lemons when incorporating the wet ingredients into the batter.

Have you made this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture with the hashtag #thefoodieskitchen

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