Author Notes
A basic recipe for simple vanilla and/or chocolate cupcakes. To dress these up, I like to stuff them with a piece of candy (like caramels or chocolate-covered nougat), a few pieces of fresh fruit, or a tablespoon of jam, peanut butter, marshmallow fluff, or ganache. Then I frost them with buttercream, whipped ganache, whipped cream, or a basic chocolate or fruit glaze.
Variation: Rainbow Cupcakes
Divide the batter evenly into 6 bowls. Use food coloring to dye each bowl a color of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Divide the purple batter between the prepared cupcake pan cavities. Then, divide the blue batter, scooping/spooning it on top of the purple. Continue this way, adding the green, yellow, orange, and red. The cupcake cavities should each be about ¾ way full. Bake as directed above. —Erin Jeanne McDowell
Watch This Recipe
Basic Vanilla & Chocolate Cupcakes
-
Prep time
15 minutes
-
Cook time
20 minutes
-
Makes
12 cupcakes (each recipe yields 12 cupcakes)
Ingredients
- For the vanilla cupcakes:
-
1 1/2 cups
all-purpose flour
-
1 teaspoon
baking powder
-
3/4 teaspoon
salt
-
1/2 cup
unsalted butter, at room temperature
-
1 cup
granulated sugar
-
2
eggs
-
1 1/4 teaspoons
vanilla extract
-
1/2 cup
buttermilk
- For the chocolate cupcakes:
-
1 1/4 cups
all-purpose flour
-
1/3 cup
cocoa powder
-
1 teaspoon
baking powder
-
3/4 teaspoon
salt
-
1/2 cup
unsalted butter, at room temperature
-
1 cup
granulated sugar
-
2
eggs
-
1 1/4 teaspoons
vanilla extract
-
3/4 cup
buttermilk
Directions
- For the vanilla cupcakes:
-
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
-
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together to combine. Set aside.
-
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
-
Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed to combine, and scraping well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla to combine.
-
Pour 1/3 of the buttermilk into the batter and mix on low speed to combine. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix to combine. Repeat two more times, until all of the liquid and flour is added and fully incorporated.
-
Scoop the batter into the prepared pan using a #16 scoop (or just fill each cavity 3/4 of the way full).
-
Bake the cupcakes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a rack to cool completely before frosting and finishing.
- For the chocolate cupcakes:
-
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
-
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together to combine.
-
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
-
Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed to combine, and scraping well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla to combine.
-
Pour 1/3 of the buttermilk into the batter and mix on low speed to combine. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix to combine. Repeat two more times, until all of the liquid and flour is added and fully incorporated.
-
Scoop the batter into the prepared pan using a #40 scoop (or just fill each cavity 3/4 of the way full).
-
Bake the cupcakes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a rack to cool completely before frosting and finishing.
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, The Book on Pie, is out on November 10th, 2020.
See what other Food52ers are saying.