Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe

Photo: Uncut Recipes

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While these cupcakes may be considered 'plain' compared to their chocolate or red velvet counterparts, don't let that fool you. Vanilla Cupcakes, in all their simplicity, carry an allure that is both timeless and universal. They are the unsung heroes in the wide array of cupcakes, a blank canvas ready to be adorned with any frosting or filling, yet perfectly delicious on their own.

The story of Vanilla Cupcakes started long ago when bakers realized the power of combining simple, humble ingredients to create something extraordinary. Today, they are celebrated in homes and bakeries across the globe, each bite bringing a sense of warmth and comfort.

The process of making these cupcakes is also an adventure in itself. From creaming butter and sugar to achieve a light and fluffy texture, to carefully incorporating the eggs and the vanilla, to the final act of folding in the self-rising flour, each step is an integral part of the journey to vanilla cupcake bliss.

So, roll up your sleeves and embrace the wonderful experience of creating Vanilla Cupcakes from scratch. Not only will you end up with a batch of delicious treats, but you'll also discover the joy that comes from transforming simple ingredients into something truly extraordinary.

JUMP TO:

INGREDIENTS:

Self-Rising Flour: Self-rising flour is a mix of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt, which makes it a perfect time-saver for baking. Look for a brand that offers a fine, powdery texture for the best results. If you don't have self-rising flour on hand, you can make it at home by adding 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of all-purpose flour.

Butter: Opt for unsalted butter in baking to have complete control over the salt content in your recipe. It should be of high quality as the flavor of butter plays a significant role in this recipe. Also, ensure your butter is at room temperature before beginning for ease of mixing.

Superfine Sugar: Also known as caster sugar, superfine sugar has smaller granules that dissolve quickly, making it perfect for light and airy bakes like these cupcakes. If you can't find superfine sugar, you can make it at home by pulsing granulated sugar in a food processor until it's finely ground but not powdered.

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Eggs: Always opt for fresh, organic eggs for the best flavor. They should be at room temperature, which helps create a smoother, more unified batter. If your recipe calls for a fraction of an egg, beat the egg and measure out the portion you need.

Vanilla Extract: A key player in this recipe, vanilla extract should be of high quality for the best flavor. Pure vanilla extract may be more expensive, but it provides a superior flavor to imitation vanilla. For an alternative, you can use the seeds of a vanilla pod or vanilla bean paste for a more intense vanilla flavor.

MAIN STEPS:

Creaming Sugar and Butter: This is not a mere mixing step, but a crucial process of aerating the butter which contributes significantly to the lightness of the cupcake crumb. You're aiming for a pale and fluffy mixture, and this usually takes at least 5 minutes of beating on a medium speed. Under-creamed butter won't hold onto the air bubbles created by the leavening agent, leading to denser cupcakes.

Incorporating the Flour: Overmixing at this stage can lead to a tough and dense cupcake. The goal here is to just mix until you can't see streaks of flour. Stop mixing as soon as you reach this point to maintain the softness and lightness of your cupcakes.

Filling the Cupcake Cups: Filling them 3/4 full is a good general guide, but be mindful not to overfill. Overfilled cups may cause the batter to overflow as it rises, leading to misshapen cupcakes.

SERVED WITH:

Starter: Waldorf Salad (United States): A classic salad consisting of fresh apples, celery, grapes, and walnuts, mixed in a creamy mayonnaise-based dressing and typically served on a bed of lettuce. Its crisp, refreshing taste would be a great contrast to the sweet and soft vanilla cupcakes.

Main Course: Chicken Piccata (Italy): Tender chicken breasts coated in flour and pan-fried, then served with a tangy, salty sauce made from lemon juice, capers, and butter. The savory and tangy flavors of the dish would balance the sweetness of the cupcakes nicely.

Side Dish: Coleslaw (Netherlands): This is a salad made from finely shredded raw cabbage with a vinaigrette or mayonnaise-based dressing. The tangy, crunchy coleslaw would offer a nice contrast to the soft, sweet cupcakes.

Dessert: Peach Melba (France): A classic French dessert of peaches, raspberry sauce, and vanilla ice cream. The fruity and tangy flavors of the dessert would complement the creamy, mild flavor of the cupcakes.

Cake: Lemon Drizzle Cake (United Kingdom): A sweet and tangy cake made with fresh lemon zest and juice, then drizzled with a tangy lemon syrup. The bright, citrusy flavors would pair well with the soft, mild vanilla cupcakes.

Main Course: Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breast (Greece): Juicy chicken breasts stuffed with a mixture of spinach, feta cheese, garlic, and herbs, then baked until golden. The savory, cheesy stuffing and juicy chicken would pair nicely with the sweet cupcakes.

Drink: Chai Latte (India): A warming drink made from spiced tea and steamed milk. The warming spices and the creamy milk in the chai latte would complement the sweet, mild flavor of the vanilla cupcakes.

ALTERNATIVES:

Dessert: Genoise Sponge Cake (France): This light and airy cake is made using the same ingredients as vanilla cupcakes. The eggs are whipped to a froth, then carefully combined with the remaining ingredients to maintain its structure.

Dessert: Pâte Sablée Tart Shells (France): These sweet, rich, and crumbly tart shells are made with a similar ingredient list as vanilla cupcakes. They are perfect for filling with cream and fresh fruits for a different take on dessert.

Dessert: Biscotti (Italy): These twice-baked cookies are made from the same ingredients as vanilla cupcakes. They are initially baked as a log, then sliced and baked again to dry out.

Dessert: Tres Leches Cake (Mexico): This moist cake is baked using the similar ingredients, and then soaked in a mixture of three kinds of milk (condensed, evaporated, and whole), giving it a uniquely rich and sweet flavor.

Dessert: Madeleines (France): These are small sponge cakes with a distinctive shell-like shape acquired from being baked in pans with shell-shaped depressions. Apart from the usual ingredients, some lemon zest is added for an extra zing.

Dessert: Pound Cake (United States): This is a rich cake traditionally made with a pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar - which are the main ingredients in vanilla cupcakes as well.

Dessert: Vanilla Shortbread Cookies (Scotland): These are rich, buttery cookies that melt in your mouth. They are made using similar ingredients as vanilla cupcakes but with a higher proportion of butter and are typically baked until lightly golden.

HISTORY:

Tracing the roots of the vanilla cupcake leads us back to the 19th century. The concept of a "cake to be baked in small cups" was first mentioned in American Cookery, a cookbook by Amelia Simmons published in 1796. However, the term "cupcake" only came into regular usage around the 1820s. While not explicitly a "vanilla" cupcake, the recipes during this period relied heavily on simple, pure flavors - and nothing was simpler or purer than vanilla.

When it comes to legends surrounding vanilla cupcakes, the waters are relatively clear - these delights are so straightforward and beloved that they don't need a tantalizing tale to make them more appealing. However, the beauty of the vanilla cupcake is that it represents the very essence of baking - a classic creation that has served as the foundation for countless other recipes.

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Though the vanilla cupcake doesn't have cultural roots as specific as some other desserts, it has seamlessly integrated itself into various cultures around the globe due to its simple and adaptable nature. Vanilla cupcakes quickly became a staple at birthdays, weddings, and holiday celebrations, their unassuming flavor serving as the perfect canvas for a range of frostings and fillings.

The popularity of the vanilla cupcake truly exploded with the rise of cupcake bakeries in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Shops like Magnolia Bakery in New York City helped spark a cupcake craze that catapulted these little cakes into the limelight.

In our contemporary food culture, the vanilla cupcake stands as a timeless favorite amidst a sea of complex and innovative flavors. The vanilla cupcake is beloved in its traditional form but also serves as an edible canvas for bakers to express their creativity with frostings, fillings, and decorations.

TIPS:

Malted Flour: Use malted flour or add malt powder to your regular flour for a complex depth of flavor. It will lend a subtle, nutty sweetness to the cupcakes.

Specialty Flours: Experiment with different kinds of flour, such as almond flour or coconut flour, to add a different flavor and texture to your cupcakes.

Artisanal Salt: Finish the cupcakes with a sprinkle of artisanal salt like pink Himalayan or flake sea salt to enhance all the flavors.

Vanilla Bean Paste: Use a high-quality vanilla bean paste or scrape out fresh vanilla beans instead of extract. It delivers a much more potent, fuller vanilla flavor.

Clarified Butter or Ghee: Replace regular butter with clarified butter or ghee for a slightly nutty flavor that's more intense than regular butter.

Savory Element: For an adventurous twist, add a savory ingredient to your cupcakes like rosemary, thyme, or cracked black pepper. These can bring a unique flavor profile to the cupcakes.

Pâte à Bombe Base: Use a pâte à bombe as your base. This is a light, airy mixture of egg yolks and sugar syrup often used in French patisserie. Incorporate this in place of the creamed sugar and eggs for a very light and elegant cupcake.

Cold Oven Technique: Start baking the cupcakes in a cold oven and gradually increase the temperature. This old-school technique can result in fluffier cupcakes.

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Sous Vide Cooking: To achieve an absolutely perfect texture and consistent results, you can prepare the cupcake batter as usual but then bake it sous vide in small mason jars instead of using a traditional oven.

Fancy Filled Cupcakes: Instead of regular cupcakes, make these into surprise-filled cupcakes. Use a cupcake corer or a small spoon to hollow out the center of the cooled cupcakes and fill with a rich custard, a fruit compote, or even a mini chocolate truffle before frosting.

Ingredients:

Conversions and Servings: Cups (12 Cupcakes) Cups (24 Cupcakes) Cups (36 Cupcakes) Cups (48 Cupcakes) Imperial (12 Cupcakes) Imperial (24 Cupcakes) Imperial (36 Cupcakes) Imperial (48 Cupcakes) Metric (12 Cupcakes) Metric (24 Cupcakes) Metric (36 Cupcakes) Metric (48 Cupcakes)

Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 175C / 350F.

02 - Let's prepare the baking tray. You'll need at least a 12-cup cupcake tray. Insert paper liners into each cup of the tray.

03 - In a large bowl, add Sugar and Butter. Using an electric mixer, beat these two together until they turn light, creamy, and fluffy. This process is called creaming, and it helps make your cupcakes soft and light.

04 - Now, it's time to add the Eggs. Add them one at a time, beating well after each one is added. This ensures that each Egg is well mixed into the batter before adding the next one, leading to a smoother and more consistent batter.

05 - Next, beat in the Vanilla Extract. This adds that classic, sweet vanilla flavor that makes vanilla cupcakes so irresistible!

06 - Stif now the Flour into your creamy mixture until it's just mixed. Remember not to overmix.

07 - Now that your Batter is prepared, it's time to fill the cupcake cups. Using a spoon, fill each paper liner until it's about 3/4 full. This gives your cupcakes space to rise in the oven without overflowing.

08 - Your Cupcakes are now ready for baking! Place the tray in your preheated oven and let them bake for around 18 to 20 minutes. You'll know they're ready when they've risen and are slightly golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a Cupcake comes out clean.

09 - Once baked, let your cupcakes cool briefly in the tray. After a few minutes, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely... and ENJOY!

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Notes:

Room Temperature: All ingredients should be at room temperature before you start, especially butter and eggs. This ensures a smoother mixture and prevents curdling.

Sugar Type: The superfine sugar might also be labeled as "caster sugar." This type of sugar dissolves more quickly into the butter, creating a smoother, fluffier mixture.

Storage: Keep the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to three months.

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Written by: Uncut Recipes

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