Vanilla Cupcakes
This is a version taken from my favorite website bakingamoment.com. The cupcakes are soft and don’t dry as much.
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup butter, soft and cubed
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk ( heat milk to nearly boiling,let it cooland add 1 tablespoon vinegar, lightly stir and use)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Method
- Pre heat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a bowl combine the first 7 ingredients and stir together with a paddle attachment for about a minute, enough to get it combined.
- With the mixer on low, add butter few cubes at a time until all butter is in and the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Continue running the mixer on lo, add eggs one at a time till all eggs are in.
- Add milk and vanilla, turn the mixer to medium and combine the batter until it is smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
- Fill the cupcake lines 2/3 full and bake for 15-20 mins until the centers are firm or when inserting a toothpick it comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool completely to frost.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 3 egg whites or 3/4 cup if using the boxed one
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter, soft and cubed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Place egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl. Set over a pot of simmering water and whisk continuously until the mixture is warm and opaque, and the sugar is dissolved completely ( should not feel gritty when rubbed with your fingers) takes about 5 minutes. Take off the heat.
- Whisk the mixture on high speed until it forms high peaks and is cool completely.
- Add butter one cube at a time, whipping well after each addition ( at this time when half butter is added I change the whisk attachment to paddle attachment). The mixture will look curdled, continue to beat till it comes together then add remaining butter, one cube at a time.
- Mix in the vanilla till combined.
