Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes
The same basic ingredients that make the cupcake recipe simple also ensure that it is over-the-top delicious. Dress this cupcake recipe up or down for showers, parties, or friendly neighborhood gatherings.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking bowder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
Preparation 1. In a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and all the sugar until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on high speed until well blended.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into another bowl.
3. With mixer on low speed, beat about a third of the flour mixture into butter mixture, then about a third of the buttermilk. Repeat to beat in remaining flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating in thirds. When all the flour is incorporated, beat mixture on medium speed just until well blended.
4. Fill paper-lined or buttered muffin cups (1/3-cup capacity) about three-fourths full with batter (about 1/4 cup in each).
5. Bake in a 350° oven until tops spring back when lightly touched in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on racks 5 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely.
Vegan Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
Make these tasty cakes that helped L.A. baker Chloe Corscarelli win first place on Cupcake Wars.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting & Finishing
2/3 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening
2 2/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
About 4 tablespoons nondairy milk, such as soy, almond, or rice
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup water, the oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and whisk until just combined.
3. Divide batter among cupcake cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely in pan.
4. Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat shortening, 2 2/3 cups powdered sugar, and the vanilla together to mix. Beat in nondairy milk 1 tablespoon at a time and beat until frosting is smooth and fluffy.
5. Cut tops off cupcakes and set aside. Smooth about 1 tablespoon frosting onto each cupcake and cover with a few strawberries. Replace top, then add a dollop of frosting and a few tiny slices of strawberry. Put remaining 1 tablespoon powdered sugar in a fine-mesh strainer and dust cupcakes with sugar.
Chocolate Espresso Cakes
The batter is goofproof, so feel free to experiment with spices or extracts for other flavor combos.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup brewed coffee, cooled
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
About 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup espresso powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chunks
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream
Coffee beans for garnish
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a bowl with a mixer, beat sugar, buttermilk, coffee, oil, eggs, salt, and vanilla on medium speed until well blended.
2. Whisk together flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl to blend. Gradually add to wet mixture; beat on medium speed until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Stir in semisweet chocolate chunks.
3. Set baking molds on a rimmed baking pan and fill each about two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers (avoid chocolate chunks) comes out clean, about 27 minutes. Cool cakes completely on a rack.
4. Frosting: Melt bittersweet chocolate with cream in a small saucepan over very low heat and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth and blended. Remove from heat and let cool until thick but still spreadable, about 40 minutes. Spread on cakes. Top each cake with a few coffee beans and dust with cocoa. Let frosting firm up completely before serving, at least 30 minutes.
Devil's Food Cupcakes with Marshmallow Filling
These chocolate cupcakes have a secret: They're loaded with marshmallow cream filling. If you grew up on store-bought snack cakes, these family-friendly desserts will blow your mind.
Ingredients 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow cream
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
Preparation
1. In a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
2. In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Stir in half the flour mixture into butter mixture. Stir in milk just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture and stir just until incorporated. Spoon batter equally into 16 muffin cups (1/3-cup capacity; cups should be almost full) lined with paper baking cups.
3. Bake in a 350º regular or convection oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed in the center or a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pans on racks for 5 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans and set on racks to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
4. With a small, sharp knife, cut a cylinder about 3/4 inch wide and 1 inch deep from the center of the top of each cupcake. Trim off and discard about 1/2 inch from bottom of each cylinder. With a knife, hollow out a small cavity inside each cupcake.
5. Spoon marshmallow cream into pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Twist end of bag tightly to secure. Place tip in cavity of one cupcake; without moving tip, squeeze filling into cavity, to 1/4 inch from top. Repeat to fill remaining cupcakes. Insert cake cylinders into holes.
6. Frosting: In a bowl, with a mixer on low speed, beat cream cheese and butter until well blended. In another bowl, sift together powdered sugar and cocoa. Beat into cream cheese mixture until frosting is smooth.
7. Spoon chocolate cream cheese frosting into another pastry bag, fitted with a 3/4-inch star tip, and pipe onto tops of cupcakes, or spread on cupcakes with knife.
Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
These treats make the perfect addition to a fall party spread. The canned pumpkin in the batter keeps these cupcakes moist, reducing the amount of oil you need to use.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
Frosting
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
Topping
About 1 1/2 cups sweetened whipped cream
22 chocolate pastilles
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat sugar, buttermilk, oil, eggs, pumpkin, salt, and vanilla until well blended.
2. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Gradually add to wet mixture, beating on medium speed until smooth.
3. Line muffin pans with muffin cups and fill each cup with 3 tbsp. batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 minutes. Cool completely.
4. Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat mascarpone, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin, vanilla, and salt with a mixer until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar. Chill until firm, 1 hour. Spread on cupcakes and top each with whipped cream and a pastille. Chill until frosting is firm, about 30 minutes.
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream
These electric magenta cupcakes get their color not from the usual food coloring but from puréed roasted beets, which also add a subtle flavor.
Ingredients
1 pound red beets (3 medium), scrubbed
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
2/3 cup canola oil
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Orange Buttercream
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure orange oil, such as Boyajian brand, or zest of 1 large orange
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Wrap each beet in foil, put on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast until tender when pierced, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Let cool. Peel, cut into chunks, and purée in a food processor. Measure 1 1/4 cups purée.
2. Line a 12-cup muffin pan (1/2-cup size) with paper liners. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Whisk together beet purée, granulated sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl. With a plastic spatula, stir in flour mixture one-third at a time just until smooth.
4. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each almost to the top of the liner. Bake until cupcakes spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted in center of one comes out with a couple of moist crumbs clinging, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely.
5. Frosting: Beat butter with a mixer on high speed until very smooth. Add powdered sugar, orange oil, and vanilla; beat on low speed to blend, then on medium until fluffy and smooth.
6. Spread a thick layer of buttercream on cupcakes, swirling it decoratively. Or pipe frosting from a pastry bag, using a star tip.
Strawberry Rose Cupcakes
A few scattered rose petals on a plain cupcake can add a real wow factor. But when your guests bite into these strawberry-rose jam-filled treats, you'll really be hearing the oohs and aahs.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup strawberry jam
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons rose water
2 1/2 cups small rose petals (organically grown)
Cream Cheese-Rose Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons rose water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line 16 muffin cups with liners. Beat butter and sugar with a stand mixer until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk; beat until well blended. 2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Gradually beat into butter mixture until well blended. 3. Whisk together jam and rose water to taste in a small bowl. Spread 2 heaping tbsp. batter in each liner. Top with 1 tsp. jam mixture, then another 2 heaping tbsp. batter, carefully spreading it to cover jam. 4. Frosting: In a bowl with a mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, rose water, vanilla, and powdered sugar until smooth. 5. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted toward the edge comes out clean, 25 to 27 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Spread with frosting and decorate with rose petals.
Coconut Cupcakes
Chef Amber Bonny Burhans tells us these buttery cupcakes are one of her signature dishes. We think they are a safe bet to sweeten any gathering.
Ingredients
2 3/4 cups butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons each vanilla and almond extracts
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon each baking powder, baking soda, and salt
1 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut, plain or toasted
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream together 2 cups butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in 1 1/2 teaspoons each vanilla and almond extracts.
2. In another large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter and sugar mixture in 3 batches, alternating with coconut milk. Stir 1 cup flaked coconut into the batter.
3. Fill 30 paper-lined muffin cups (1/2-cup capacity) in two or more muffin pans about 2/3 full with batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing muffins from pans. Cool completely.
4. Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup butter, and 1/2 teaspoon each vanilla and almond extract until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with remaining coconut.
