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vanilla cupcakes

The Best Vanilla Cupcakes

Mindy Johnson
The best vanilla cupcakes - moist and fluffy - with a creamy vanilla buttercream frosting!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 28

Ingredients
  

Vanilla Cupcakes
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks), softened
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
  • 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks), softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar (1 lb)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup heavy cream or milk
  • pinch salt

Instructions
 

Vanilla Cupcakes
  • Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
  • Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl or bowl of your stand mixer. While mixing on low speed add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue mixing until no large chunks of butter remain.
  • Add the eggs and beat to combine.
  • Slowly stream in the buttermilk while mixing on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the oil and vanilla bean paste and beat just until combined and the batter is smooth.
  • Fill the cupcake liners ¾ of the way full.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool a few minutes in the pan and then move to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the powdered sugar one cup and a time. **see notes below
  • Add the heavy cream and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add a pinch of salt (to taste) and mix.

Notes

Buttercream Notes:
To make the buttercream you will need your butter to be soft. You can leave it out at room temperature about an hour before you need to use it, or microwave it for about 15 seconds to soften.
 
If you are using organic powdered sugar, you will want to sift it first to get out any large lumps. 

Nutrition

Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 61mg | Sugar: 31g
This information comes from online calculators and these figures are only estimates.
Keywords chocolate cupcakes, vanilla buttercream, vanilla cupcakes
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