Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

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I know what you might be wondering, why did you pick a boring Vanilla Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream? Well, because I heard that these were the best.

So, my oldest turned 10 recently. I was surprisingly and uncharacteristically mushy about the whole thing. He is a joy, and I cannot believe that I have been his mom for 10 years. Birthdays are about celebration and celebrations would be not a party without cupcakes. Or cinnamon rolls, or red velvet cake. My son has high baking demands when it comes to his week-long birthday extravaganza.

He requested cinnamon rolls for his class treat, red velvet cake for his actual birthday dinner, and cupcakes for his friend party. The rest of my family is completely unaffected by my baking abilities, but William really appreciates a homemade baked good. He has learned to capitalize on it (flattery and his big blue puppy dog eyes work like a charm) and uses his birthday to see what I am really made of. He tests my baking chops.

When it came to his kid party cake, he told me to surprise him. I know what you might be wondering, why did you pick a boring vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream? Well, because I heard that these were the best. These cupcakes are divine.

The Secret for Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream //

The thing about the batter and the buttercream is that both recipes have some specific steps – and that is what sets them apart from all others. The batter needs to rest. Makes perfect sense, so does pancake batter, why didn’t I think to rest my cupcake batter? The buttercream is the best I have ever had. Light, not too sweet, and the perfect texture.

These cupcakes are from the Trophy Cupcakes & Parties book. I buy a lot of cookbooks, it is sort of my thing. A lot of books I skim through once or twice and shelve. This book I go to all the time. I love this book and it is a great one to add to your collection.

My recipe below for buttercream is the full size original recipe. For the pictures, I made a half batch. I had just enough frosting for 24 cupcakes. Nobody wants a chintzy amount of frosting on their cupcake.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream //

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons half-and-half
• 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 eggs

How to Make // The Steps

Step 1: In a large bowl sift together flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Step 2: In a pitcher, whisk together milk, half-and-half, and vanilla. Set aside.

Step 3: Cream together butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

Step 4: Add eggs one at time, mixing well and scraping the bowl after you add each egg.

Step 5: Add 1/3 of the flour mixture.

Step 6: Add 1/2 of the milk. You add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, and the liquid in 2.

Step 7: When everything has been added scrape the bowl one more time. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin tins with paper liners.

Step 8: Fill the paper liners three quarters of the way full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 9: The cupcakes will be pale in color. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Buttercream (FULL SIZE RECIPE) Ingredients //

• 3 cups (6 sticks) butter, room temperature
• 6 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Step 10: Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until the butter is pale, very smooth, and makes a slapping sound as it hits the sides of the bowl. This takes about 30 seconds if you butter is really soft, a bit longer if the butter is cooler.

Step 11: Add the sugar one cup at a time. Mix until it is incorporated before you add the next cup.

Step 12: When all of the sugar has been added, scrape the paddle and the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and salt, beat on low speed for 15 seconds.

Step 13: Increase the speed to high (or just high enough so that it doesn’t make a mess). Beat until whipped, light, and perfectly smooth, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl once or twice. The frosting will look like it is getting really soft, but it will stiffen and increase in volume.

Step 14: Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Step 15: Add sprinkles. It’s a birthday after all.

More Cupcake Recipes //

• Caramel Cupcakes with Caramel Icing
• Biscoff Cupcakes
• Vegan Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
• Tiramisu Cupcakes
• Apple Cupcakes