I have decided it is high time I shared another of my own cupcake recipes with you all.
I have a lot of vanilla cupcake recipes in my repertoire but this is one of my favourites and the one I probably use most often at the bakery. The cupcakes are beautifully light, fluffy and moist.
I use both vanilla sugar and vanilla paste rather than just extract in our vanilla cupcakes because I have a serious aversion to bland cupcakes. These really are vanilla cupcakes, not just plain sponge cupcakes masquerading as a vanilla cupcakes.
Vanilla Sugar is a breeze to make at home and in large quantities, one big bag of caster sugar and a couple of vanilla pods will last you ages and make such a difference to your baking. As for vanilla paste, it isn't cheap (especially from supermarkets and I think only Waitrose and larger Tesco branches stock it) but it is so much better than extract and definitely worth it if you're making these for a special occasion. If you do make these using vanilla extract instead of paste add 2 tsp instead of 1.
The buttercream recipe is quite a sweet one, it is lusciously thick and creamy and very adaptable. Add the juice of half a lemon for a gorgeously tangy lemon buttercream that goes beautifully with these vanilla cupcakes. If your buttercream is too stiff or it needs thickening a slightly add milk or icing sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating all the way until you are happy.
Buttercream Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes
Makes 12 Cupcakes
120g unsalted butter, room temperature
100g caster sugar
20g vanilla sugar
2 large eggs
100g self-raising flour
75g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
120ml milk
1tsp vanilla paste
Preheat your oven to 170C. Line a 12-hole cupcake tray with paper cases.
Sift both flours, the baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, caster sugar and vanilla sugar until light and creamy, beat for no less than 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
Add one third of the flour and fold into the batter, pour half of the milk into the batter and beat until totally incorporated. Repeat this process, adding another third of flour, followed by the rest of the milk and vanilla extract. Finish by adding the final third of flour.
Spoon the batter into the cupcake cases, filing each until 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 minutes or until well risen and a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Leave cupcakes to cool in the tray for a minute or so before removing and placing on a cooling rack.
Buttercream Bakery Vanilla Buttercream
160g unsalted butter, room temperature
225g icing sugar, sifted
2-3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla paste
Place the butter into a large mixing bowl and beat for about 5 minutes or until significantly lighter in colour.
Add the sifted icing sugar and 2 tbsp of the milk and beat until totally incorporated. Add the vanilla paste and beat for a further 5 minutes or until the buttercream becomes lighter in colour and creamy. If necessary add the remaining tbsp of milk and beat for another minute of so.
I hope you like the recipe and enjoy your cupcakes. x
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14 comments:
I really like the idea of using both vanilla paste and vanilla sugar. Vanilla cupcakes are my favorite so i'm always excited to try new recipes.
I really like the idea of using both vanilla paste and vanilla sugar. Vanilla cupcakes are my favorite so i'm always excited to try new recipes.
The little panda is so very cute!
OMG, can you say "to die for" ~ just one with a cup of tea please!
Like the mini "macrons" on your cupcakes. They are so cute.
Sounds amazing, I had never heard of vanilla paste before but will look out for it! I have yet to make a perfect vanilla cupcake so will def try these :) x
I am going to the King Arthur's Baking Store in Vermont in June. I am definitely picking up some vanilla paste. The recipe for cupcake and frosting sounds amazing.
These look so good! I love the panda ones, adorable!
panda is lovely and very shiny. Is he painted... or some kind of gloss ?
I've been using your buttercream ever since the teddy tutorial. I adapt it as I go it I want chocolate or flavoured.
Have you tried making your own vanilla extract ? I haven't bought any in years. I buy vanilla pods in packs of 100. Use about 10 at a time and cut in half. Pop in a jam jar full of vodka and leave to infuse. Once it's sat a few weeks, it's as good if not better an extract than you can ever buy. When you want seeds / paste too, simply take a pod and squeeze it out. You can keep the same jars running and top up with vodka and pods. My jar has been going easily around 3 years now !
Good Day, I'm just roaming around the internet trying to find good quality articles and i notice your blog
and read some interesting topics you have.
I really appreciate your work!
will be back for more.
Thank you very much
Kathy
www.healthandwellnessconsultants.com
Hi there, I was wondering if there was a certain brand of butter you use to make your buttercream white? The only white butter I can find here in britain is lurpak? All the other suggestions Ive found are from the US :(
Sophie
Hi Sophie,
Any unsalted butter will be absolutely fine for your buttercream, the whiteness is achieved by beating the yellow out lol.
Start by beating your softened butter by itself in an electric mixer for around 5 minutes, already you will see it is a lot whiter. Once you have added the icing sugar etc beat for another 5 minutes, the longer you beat the whiter the buttercream will become.
Even so you will never achieve totally white buttercream this way, you can buy a icing whitener -
http://www.cake-stuff.com/white-white-icing-whitener-wilton-colouring-60ml-p-1670.html
- but I have to say I hate this stuff, it looks like tippex and I personally think you can taste it in the frosting so use very sparingly. It is of course totally edible and safe, I'm just not a fan and always just beat my buttercream to lighten it as much as possible.
Hope that helps! Thanks so much for visiting. x
Hi, I love your cakes. I have just made this recipe and I was wondering if you could tell me prevent my cupcakes rising and cracking in the middle. I'd like a flat top so that I can top it with rolled sugarpaste. Thank you!
Hi Anon,
This cupcake recipe is designed to rise in a perfect dome, your cupcakes are most likely peaking and cracking because your oven is too hot. I always reccomend investing in an oven thermometer as ovens tend to lie.
If you want a cupcake recipe that produces cupcakes with flat tops try a more traditional sponge recipe (equal parts flour, sugar and butter).
Hope that helps!
I baked these cupcakes today and they were delicious and full of vanilla flavour. Thank you for posting the recipe. Just one question, would I be able to double the recipe and bake as a cake? If so what size tin would I need?
Thank you!
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