How To Make Vanilla Cupcakes Sexy Again
A light and fluffy vanilla cupcake flavoured with vanilla extract and vanilla seeds. Topped with a generous swirl of vanilla frosting and a few colourful sprinkles.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time40 mins
Servings: 12 - 16 cupcakes
Ingredients
- 240 grams plain/all purpose flour 1 and 2/3 cup
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 115 grams unsalted butter 1 stick
- 200 grams sugar 1 cup
- 1 large egg
- 75 grams plain Greek yogurt 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon
- 180 millilitres milk 3/4 cup
- seeds from 1 vanilla pod & 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- Frosting
- 115 grams unsalted butter 1 stick
- 245 grams icing sugar 2 cups
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or seeds from 1 vanilla pod & 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 110 grams full fat cream cheese 1/2 cup
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F / Gas mark 5 and line a 12 hole muffin pan with liners.
- In a medium sized bowl sieve the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together then place to one side.
- Cream the butter and sugar together, until light and fluffy about 3 minutes if using a stand / electric mixer.
- Add the egg and mix for another minute.
- Pour in the yogurt, milk and vanilla seeds and extract or if using the vanilla bean paste and mix until everything is well combined.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients until you have a smooth batter.
- Pour the mixture into the cupcake liners filling each one 2/3 rds full. I use an ice cream scoop to keep them all a uniformed size.
- Pop them in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes. Check on them at 20 minutes to see if they are firm to the touch. My oven is slow so they required 25 minutes but ovens vary so check on them at 20 minutes.
- Take them out of the oven and after a minute resting in their tin remove them to a wire rack to fully cool down.
- To make the frosting beat the butter until it is very pale in colour - this will take about 5 minutes in a stand / electric mixer.
- Slowly add in the icing sugar and mix on a low speed until everything is very well combined.
- Add in the seeds from the vanilla pod or if you are using vanilla bean paste add into the buttercream and beat until fully combined.
- Add in the cream cheese and mix for another minute until everything is well combined, then fill your piping bag or just spoon the frosting onto your cooled cupcakes.
- Sprinkle a few sprinkles on top if using then serve.
Notes
1. Because the frosting has cream cheese in it these cupcakes need to be stored in the fridge. But allow them to return to room temperature before serving.2. Kept in an airtight tin in the fridge these cupcakes will last for 5 days.