Everyone loves a vanilla cupcake. My recipe is a vanilla lovers dream—it's a vanilla cupcake topped with vanilla buttercream. To get ultimate flavor I suggest using pure vanilla extract. —Michelle Dorsey, Wilmington, Delaware
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-1/3 cups cake flour
- 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
- 2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- Paste food coloring, optional
- Colored sprinkles and nonpareils
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.
- Fill 24 paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-22 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
- For frosting, in a small bowl, beat butter and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. If desired, tint with food coloring. Frost cupcakes. Decorate as desired.
