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Vanilla cupcake with a large swirl of vanilla buttercream frosting on a cake stand.
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Vanilla Cupcakes

These easy, delicious, from-scratch vanilla cupcakes with a delicious vanilla buttercream frosting are the perfect cupcake for any occasion!
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings12 cupcakes
saltyginger.comMary-Lou

Equipment

  • Regular Muffin Pan (12-Well)
  • Stand Mixer
  • Electric hand mixer
  • Wilton 1M
  • Regular Cupcake Liners
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Silicone Spatula
  • Whisk

Ingredients
 
 

Vanilla Cupcakes

  • 60 grams butter melted
  • 200 grams white granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs (Size6/Med/large*note 1)
  • 120 grams milk
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 190 grams plain flour
  • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon table salt

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • 150 grams butter
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 330 grams icing sugar
  • ½ teaspoon table salt (if using unsalted butter)
  • 1-3 tablespoon cream/milk

Instructions

Vanilla Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/355°F/gas mark 4. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
  • Melt the butter, either in a small bowl in the microwave or on the stovetop. Set aside to cool.
    60 grams butter
  • Beat together the eggs and sugar either with an electric hand mixer or with a stand mixer for 5 minutes. The egg mixture will lighten to a pale yellow and almost triple in volume when done.
    200 grams white granulated sugar, 2 eggs
  • Add the vanilla to the eggs. Then with the beaters running, slowly add the butter to the eggs. Then repeat with the milk.
    60 grams butter, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 120 grams milk
  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the egg mixture, and then whisk in by hand to form a smooth batter.
    190 grams plain flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon table salt
  • Using a ¼ cup or size 15 scoop, divide the batter into the prepared cupcake liners. Tap the cake tin on the kitchen counter 3 times to bring all the large bubbles to the surface.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean from the center.
  • Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 2-5 minutes before placing them on a wired cooling rack to cool completely.

Buttercream Frosting *note 2

  • Bring the butter and milk or cream to room temperature. If your bowls are cold, run the outside of the bowls under some warm water and dry off before using.
  • Place the butter and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and start beating with a whisk attachment on a low to medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Then crank up the speed to high and beat for 10 minutes, scraping down the bowl in regular intervals to make sure all the butter is being beaten. The butter will become soft, fluffy, and almost white in color. *note 3
    150 grams butter, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Sieve the icing sugar over the butter, add the salt, and using the paddle attachment and beat the icing sugar into the butter to form a thick frosting. The cake beaters of a handheld electric mixer will work just fine. *note 4
    330 grams icing sugar, ½ teaspoon table salt
  • Add in the milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time and beat on high to create a spreadable/pipeable frosting.
    1-3 tablespoon cream/milk
  • With the paddle attachment, run at a low to medium speed for an additional 2-5 minutes. This will knock out the large air pockets in the frosting.
  • To make sure the buttercream frosting is smooth, use a silicon spatula to stir through the frosting a few times. This step is important especially if a hand-held electric mixer has been used.
  • If the icing or frosting feels too soft, cover it with plastic wrap or cling film and allow it to set at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the whole mixture to cool down. The heat from the mixer and friction may make the frosting/icing feel a bit soft.
  • Transfer the frosting into a piping bag with a tip. For large tall swirls, begin the circle on the outer edge moving inwards and then on top of the swirl. For a single rosette, start in the middle of the cupcake and work your way to the edge. *note 5&6

All temperatures stated are for conventional ovens. Decrease the temperature by 20°C/25°F or gas mark 1 for "fan" or air-fryers.

Video

Notes

  1. New Zealand size 6 eggs are around the same size as an Australian/South African Large or a US/Europe Medium.
  2. The recipe for buttercream frosting is one that I have been working to perfect. The amount of frosting in this particular recipe yields 2 cups of frosting. This is enough for those large beautiful swirls on top of the cakes. If you prefer less icing, or more of a rosette, simply half the frosting recipe by using the "½" button.
  3. Depending on how yellow your butter is, to begin with will depend on the final color of the butter upon beating. My butter, which is rather yellow, to begin with, becomes a pale yellow when the beating is complete.
  4. If you want to add in food coloring, specifically liquid food coloring, then this is when it should be added as it will loosen up the buttercream frosting.
  5. I use a 1M Wilton tip for the cupcake decoration.
  6. If the frosting feels a bit stiff in the bag before piping. Hold the frosting in your hands for a bit to warm up the frosting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 326mg