The perfect vanilla cupcake

For some time I have been searching for the perfect vanilla cupcake recipe.
I've tried several recipes, but none made me say ''This is the one!''. Too crumbly, too dry, nothing special, taste like bread, etc. And since I tried the Black Forest cupcakes recipe and I loved it, I decided to try it on vanilla version ( I replaced the cocoa with flour) and the result it's simply amazing.

The cupcakes are so moist and they just melt in your mouth. It's like you're eating a small cloud!
If you're looking for a great vanilla cake/ cupcake recipe, then look no more. Here is it! Just try it! It's to die for!!!

And to go with my perfect vanilla cupcakes, I made a nice buttercream frosting. Now this is the part I enjoyed the most. I made it on three different colors and I piped it with three different tips, so you can see the differences between them.

I love using plastic bags when frosting with different colors

The recipe for vanilla cupcakes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 120 g plain or all-purpose flour
• 120 g caster sugar
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 40 g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120 ml milk
• 1 egg

For buttercream frosting recipe go here .
To color your frosting add as much dye as you want, till you reach the desired color.


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 170C/ 325F/ GM 3 and line a cupcake tin with medium sized paper cases.

Sieve the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter into the bowl of a Kitchen Aid (or other freestanding mixer)  and using the paddle attachment mix slowly until everything is combined and you have a sandy consistency.

While the mixer is running, slowly pour in half of the milk and mix until it's just incorporated. 

Add the egg to the remaining milk along with the vanilla and continue beating until it's mixed in. 

Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is properly mixed but be careful not to over beat the mixture.
Evenly spoon the cake mixture into the cupcake cases and bake for 20-25 minutes until the sponge bounces back when touched (with my oven 17 minutes works perfectly) and a skewer comes out clean with put into the center of the cake.
Leave to cool for a few minutes then transfer the cupcakes onto a wire rack. 

My cupcake, ready to be decorated

Let cool completely and frost before serving.


Let me know how your cupcakes went! Happy baking!

My working table

I decorated one cupcake with all three colors and different tips

Pink frosting -  I used a  CLOSE STAR

Orange frosting  - I used a FRENCH  TIP

Blue frosting - I used a ROUND TIP

Photos by EMI TRASNITU