Billy's Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes

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How Can I Make Moist, Fluffy Bakery-Style Cupcakes?

Q: We have cupcake stores popping up in the community. Their cupcakes are really good — moist! But at $5 to $6 a cupcake, that's steep! What do I need to do so my cupcakes are just as fluffy and moist?

Editor: Cheryl, I think that a big part of the answer is simply finding the right cupcake recipe. Here are two recipes, vanilla and chocolate, that I think are amazing. when we made a big batch of cupcakes for an event earlier this week, we had a chance to test out some new recipes. Both of the recipes we made turned out to be such winners that we immediately filed them away with a big red bow on top. These two new recipes were everything we wanted in cupcakes: moist, tender, and well-shaped. Oh, and easy too.

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Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
  • 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.
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BILLY'S VANILLA BUTTERCREAM:

Colored sprinkles, for decorating (optional)
Makes enough for 30 cupcakes

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency. Makes about 30 cupcakes

Enjoy!

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