Best Basic Cupcakes Recipes

BASIC CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat together until mixture is smooth.
• Line muffin pan.
• Half fill each muffin paper with batter.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
• Frost as desired.

BASIC VANILLA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat until creamy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Beat until just combined.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until the tops spring back when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to the rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed until just combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium high, add the vanilla and beat until creamy, 3 minutes. Beat in the milk until fluffy, about 1 minute.
• Spread the frosting on the cupcakes. Decorate as desired.

BASIC VANILLA CUPCAKES RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Adjust rack to lower third of oven; preheat the oven to 375°F. Place paper cupcake liners in a 12-cup muffin pan. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt onto a piece of waxed paper. Place the milk in a small bowl. Stir in the vanilla. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar in a slow, steady stream beating until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until the batter is light and creamy, and scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl after each addition. Add the dry ingredients alternating with the liquid ingredients in 4 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the top of the muffins springs back when lightly touched, and a wooden toothpick inserted in the cakes comes out free of uncooked batter. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

BITE-SIZE SOUR CREAM-POUND CAKE CUPCAKES (BASIC CUPCAKE BATTER)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
• Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beating until blended. Spoon batter by rounded tablespoonfuls into lightly greased miniature muffin pans.
• Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 30 minutes). Spread cupcakes with desired buttercream, or dip in glaze.
• VARIATIONS:
• Fresh Citrus Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream
• Prepare Cupcakes as directed, omitting vanilla and adding 1 Tbsp. orange zest and 2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice to batter. Pipe or spread Orange Buttercream onto cupcakes.
• Orange Buttercream
• Substitute 1 Tbsp. orange zest for vanilla. Reduce milk to 2 Tbsp. Prepare Buttercream as directed in Steps 1 and 2, beating in 2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice with 1 Tbsp. milk in Step 2. Beat in remaining 1 Tbsp. milk as directed in Step 3. Beat in 1 drop red food coloring and 1 drop yellow food coloring until blended, if desired.
• Mocha Latte Cupcakes
• Microwave 1 (12-oz.) package dark chocolate morsels at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Prepare Cupcakes as directed, stirring melted chocolate into batter. (Batter will be very thick.) Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool as directed. Top with Double Shot Latte Buttercream. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired. Makes 6 1/2 dozen.
• Double Shot Latte Buttercream
• Prepare Buttercream as directed, beating in 1 1/2 Tbsp. instant espresso with butter.
• Salted Caramel-Chocolate Cupcakes
• Prepare Cupcakes as directed, substituting 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar and 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar for 2 cups granulated sugar. Microwave 8 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate and 1/4 cup whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in 2 Tbsp. whipping cream until smooth. Dip tops of cupcakes in chocolate mixture, and let stand until chocolate is set (about 30 minutes). Pipe or spread Salted Caramel Buttercream onto cupcakes. Garnish with sea salt flakes and caramels, cut into quarters.
• Note: We tested with Artisan Salt Company Cyprus Mediterranean Flake Salt.
• Salted Caramel Buttercream
• Prepare Buttercream as directed in Step 1, using 3 Tbsp. milk and adding 1/4 tsp. kosher salt with butter. Melt 15 caramels with 1 Tbsp. milk in a small microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Fold caramel mixture into buttercream, creating swirls. (Do not completely blend.)
• Fresh Citrus Cupcakes with Ruby Red Grapefruit Glaze
• Prepare Cupcakes as directed, omitting vanilla and adding 1 Tbsp. orange zest and 2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice to batter. Drizzle tops of cupcakes with Ruby Red Grapefruit Glaze, and top with pink grapefruit-flavored jelly beans.
• Ruby Red Grapefruit Glaze
• Stir together 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp. grapefruit zest, 5 to 6 Tbsp. fresh grapefruit juice, and 1 drop red food coloring until blended. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
• Cappuccino Cupcakes
• Prepare Cupcakes as directed. Pipe or spread Double Shot Latte Buttercream onto cupcakes. Garnish with instant espresso, ground cinnamon, and chocolate-covered coffee beans, if desired.
• Double Shot Latte Buttercream
• Prepare Buttercream as directed, beating in 1 1/2 Tbsp. instant espresso with butter.

BASIC VEGAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Line muffin pan with baking cups (paper or foil).
• Whisk together soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside to curdle. Add sugar, oil, and vanilla to the soy mixture and beat until frothy.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients.
• Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in two batches beating until smooth, with no large lumps remaining.
• Pour the batter into prepared baking cups, filling them to three quarters full.
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.
• Transfer cupcakes to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

BASIC VANILLA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F Line 18 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Combine milk and vanilla. Set aside.
• On medium speed, beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar. Beat 2 minutes.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended.
• Alternately beat in reserved flour mixture with milk mixture. Starting and ending with flour.
• Divide batter among liners.
• Bake 15-18 mins or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes Transfer to racks to cool completely.

BASIC WHITE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Beat first 6 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer just until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes or until batter is smooth, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.
• Place paper baking cups in muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray; spoon batter evenly into baking cups, filling each 2/3 full.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans to wire racks to cool.
• They used Pillbury Moist Supreme Classic White Cake Mix.