I had very little expectations when The Cupcakes Cookbook landed on my desk. Shaped like a cupcake, my initial reaction was cute. Then I started baking from it. The first recipe I made was the vanilla cupcakes, reasoning that as classics are often the hardest to nail, if they could get that right it was a good cookbook. They turned out to be the best vanilla cupcakes – perfect crumb, not too dry, not too wet. Since then I’ve made more, each coming out perfectly, proving how wrong my initial reaction was – it’s more than cute, it’s got solid recipes.
Dietary Notes
All the recipes contain dairy, eggs and gluten so as long as you eat all three you’re good.
Best For
Anyone who loves cupcakes and wants a collection of no fail cupcakes ranging from classics to fun.
Cooking Level
Beginner to intermediate. There are recipes that are basic and ones that require a little more finesse.
The foundation of all cupcakes is the classic vanilla cupcake. Here’s a no fail recipe you’ll use time and time again.
Classic Vanilla Cupcakes from The Cupcakes Cookbook
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1¼ C all-purpose flour
- 1¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ C sugar
- 6 tbsp butter room temprature
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 C milk
Vanilla Frosting
- ½ C butter room temperature
- 2½ C icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 180C and line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until blended. Add the milk and mix to combine. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix just until blended. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the bowl, and give the batter a final stir with the spatula.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until the tops are light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let cool for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the cupcake directly to the rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Using a small icing spatula or pastry bag fitted with a star tip, top the cupcakes with frosting.
Vanilla frosting
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Turn off the mixer. Add the icing sugar, milk, vanilla and salt. Mix on low speed just until combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat on a medium-high speed until the frosting is air and smooth, about 5 minutes.
The Cupcakes Cookbook is published by Weldon Owen and distributed by Jonathan Ball Publishers. It is available here.
