The Best Vanilla Cupcakes

• Fill cups 1/2 to 2/3 full. Anymore and you end up with goo in the center. Any less and you end up with wimpy cupcakes
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• Make sure you have the right pan. Cupcake pans are heavy and shiny with 6 to 12 cups. It saves time when baking if you have 2 pans on hand.


• Be sure to grease each cup well or line with cupcake wrappers.


• All ingredients should be at room temperature before making cupcakes. Cold ingredients make lumpy batter, which usually leads to over mixing and tough cupcakes.


• Preheat your oven before baking. Oven temperatures can vary so use an oven gauge to make sure yours is at the right temperature.


• Test for doneness at the minimum baking time. Cupcakes are done when a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean
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• Cupcakes are best eaten the same day they are made, but can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months as long as they are not decorated

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Magnolia Bakery vanilla cupcakes. Photo used under creative commons from Rachel From Cupcakes Take the Cake

Vanilla Bean Buttercream

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Put butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. At low speed mix add powdered sugar. Gradually add milk until desired consistency is reached. Add vanilla bean paste.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

½ cup (1 stick) butter
3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract*
¾ cup whole milk

In the top of a double boiler melt chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally. In a large bowl combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and ½ cup of milk. Stir in the chocolate mixture until well blended. Add remaining milk until desired consistency is reached. Frosting thickens as it cools.

*I prefer to use a good Mexican vanilla with this recipe and add a dash of cinnamon.

Lavender-Honey Frosting

1 cup cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat cream cheese and powdered sugar and low speed until light and fluffy. Add honey. Gently fold in half of the lavender flowers. Spread over cupcakes and sprinkle with remaining lavender flowers.

Vanilla bean lavender cupcakes with salted caramel. Photo used under creative commons from Norwichnuts

The Cupcake Club on Squidoo is an ever-growing collection of the best cupcake recipes ever. It's also home for cute and unique decorating ideas, debates about chocolate vs. vanilla frosting, recommendations for the best kitchen gadgets, cupcake sightings at hot bakeries around town, colorful cupcake photography... If you've got a sweet tooth for cupcakes, you're in the right place. You can make pages for your favorite cupcakes (and even earn money from them).



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