"This is it, Stef!! This really, really is the ULTIMATE Vanilla Cupcake!!! I can't believe we finally found it, but I know in my cupcake-loving heart that we did. I will honestly be dumbstruck if this cupcake isn't the ultimate because I can't imagine a more perfect vanilla cupcake."
That was a quote from Kate Dorman, one of the Cupcake Project Explorers (my team of 50 test bakers that helped perfect the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake recipe by baking three rounds of cupcakes and providing feedback).
You should know that the Explorers did not go easy on me. I was sure that the first recipe I sent them would be the Ultimate; it only got a 29% approval rating - ouch! I went back to the mixing bowl and came up with a second recipe for the Explorers to try. "Surely, this will be the one," I thought. The round two recipe fared only a bit better, with a 36% approval rating.
I learned that, for the most part, the Explorers wanted the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake to be light and fluffy with an intense vanilla flavor. They didn't want the Ultimate Yellow Cupcake recipe, rather they wanted the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake recipe.
The recipe that I created for round 3 (the one that you read the quote about above) took all of the Explorers' feedback into play. I created a vanilla cupcake recipe that yields a moist, light cake with an unmistakable vanilla flavor. It got an approval of 66%.
If you've been following the Quest through my blog posts and status updates on Facebook, you know that my goal was 80%. However, I've concluded that with bakers using different brands of raw ingredients, different ovens, different tools for mixing, and living in places with different humidity and altitude, 80% was an unattainable goal. Finding a cupcake recipe that 2 out of 3 people agreed was not only good, but actually the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake, was an amazing achievement. After weeks of debate, I decided to declare the round 3 cupcake the Ultimate!
Here's what some of the other Explorers had to say about the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake recipe:
- I can officially say that this will be the last round I will participate in for the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake recipe because I love it so much. I would bake these over and over and recommend it to anyone and everyone I know. This will be a recipe that I can add to my "when I'm having a bad day, I bake" list because baking a favourite recipe always makes my day better and puts me in a great mood.
- I loved this cupcake! I have used this recipe 4 times in the last two weeks. And 3 of those batches were orders other people placed for the cupcakes! This is the Ultimate Vanilla!!
- I really don't see how you can improve on this one. I have really had a good time with this. I used to be a boxed-mix-girl. This has changed me for life!!!!
- My future grandchildren will thank you for making me a best-baking-granny.
- I've been looking for my 'go to' vanilla cupcake and I think this is it!
- I loved this recipe - the taste was heavenly.
- It was an easy recipe to follow and the cupcakes came out perfectly.
- Is there any way to give it an 11 out of 10?!
The Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Yield: 16 cupcakes
- 1 cup (225 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 3/4 cups (175 grams) cake flour, not self-rising
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) full-fat sour cream
- 1/4 cup canola oil or vegetable oil (60 ml)
- 1 tablespoon pure (not imitation) vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) whole milk
- Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
- In a small bowl, combine sugar and seeds from the vanilla bean. (For those of you who are new to using vanilla beans, check out this video to learn how to get the seeds out of the bean.)
- Using the back of a spoon, move around the bowl and apply pressure to break up any clumps of seeds and to better infuse the vanilla flavor into the sugar. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the vanilla bean sugar and mix until well combined.
- Add butter and mix on medium-low speed for three minutes. Because there is so little butter, you'll end up with a very fine crumb texture.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.
- Slowly add milk and mix on low speed until just combined. The batter will be liquid. (Don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong. It's supposed to be that way.)
- Fill cupcake liners just over 1/2 full.
- Bake for 14 minutes and then test to see if they are done. They are done when a toothpick comes out without wet batter stuck to it. The cupcakes should appear white with specks of vanilla bean. They should not turn a golden brown. If they are not done, test again in two minutes. If they are still not done, test again in another two minutes.
- When the cupcakes are done, remove them immediately from the tins and leave them on a cooling rack (or just on your counter if you don't own a cooling rack) to cool.
Frosting
You can frost the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake with any frosting that you choose. Check out my top ten frostings for some ideas to get you started. However, for the full vanilla experience, I suggest frosting with vanilla bean buttercream frosting.
Cost Considerations
Vanilla beans can be expensive. In the Whole Foods near my house, one bean costs six dollars. If you plan to bake vanilla cupcakes on a regular basis, I recommend purchasing vanilla beans online. Here are two online vanilla bean sources that I've used and feel good about recommending:
- IndriVanilla beans come in three different sizes and can be bought in bulk or in any quantity that you choose. They arrive vacuum-sealed for freshness. IndriVanilla sent me premium beans to use in these cupcakes (they cost $0.75 each if you don't buy in bulk). IndriVanilla is offering a 10% discount to Cupcake Project readers; just enter the code "thecupcakeproject" at checkout.
- I've also been very pleased with the beans I've purchased on Amazon from J.R. Mushrooms and Specialties. Their premium beans are a similar quality and price as those from IndriVanilla. The beans did not come vacuum sealed, but they were incredibly fresh and my mailbox has never smelled as good as the day the beans arrived. J.R. Mushrooms does not sell individual beans. However, if you plan to buy a full pound of beans, you'll see that their bulk prices are currently even cheaper than IndriVanilla's.
Cupcake Project Explorer Reviews
As a special thanks for being Cupcake Project Explorers, I've promised the team that I would share any blog posts they write about this recipe and the Explorer process. As their posts come in, I will add links to them right here.
Is This Your Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake Recipe?
You may have noticed that in the title of this post, I said, "Test Baked by 50 Bakers and Counting." While you may not have been an official Cupcake Project Explorer, I'd love to hear what you thought of this recipe. If you bake it, please share your thoughts in the comments. What frosting did you use? Did you use any fillings? Did you make any changes that people might want to hear about? Let's all learn from each other!
145 comments:
I just made vanilla cupcakes yesterday and was thinking about how I wished you had already crowned one. Looks like I'll need to try to make some more! They look delicious - and 50 bakers can't be wrong :)
Hello!
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe, I can't wait to try it!
I have a question, though: can you use something else instead of sour cream? I live in France so what we have is either 'crème liquide' (a bit like whipping cream) or 'crème fraîche'. Can I use any of them?
Thanks a lot!
*must...bake...cupcakes...*
www.beautyandthearmageddon.blogspot.com
@SweetIntensity2
Ria - The best substitution would be a full-fat thick plain yogurt.
Ria, I'm in Finland and we don't have sour cream either. I have always used creme fraiche instead, without any problems. Never thought about yogurt, maybe I'll give it a try.
WOW! Six dollars for one vanilla bean, Thank God I live in Chicago, its only a dollar and some change for one vanilla bean.
I've been trying to decide what kind of cupcakes to make for my blog this week. I think I'll have to give these a try! Thanks!
www.a-cupcake-story.blogspot.com
Stef, I made these last weekend for my great grandmother's 100th birthday party. It was the first time I frosted or filled them with anything (because they're THAT good without). I filled them with cannoli cream and topped them with a mascarpone whipped cream, chocolate drizzle and a cannoli shell wedge. D I V I N E. Truly.
Not surprisingly, it got the seal of approval from my great grandmother. Thanks again for letting me be a part of this! :D
Erin, that sounds amazing, as i have made the cupcake i cant imagine using the cannoli, perfect perfect,im going to try that...
connie
This looks great! Did you ever try to use vanilla bean paste instead of the bean and vanilla extract? Just curious what the results would be like as I use the paste since there is no alcohol in it.
So excited to finally get to try them. Yes they are amazing . One question, my cupcake wrappers indented during baking. Any suggestions. They are my new favorite vanilla cupcakes. Thanks for all your dedication to this awesome recipe!
Has anyone tried making this in cake form?
Thanks for the shout-out, Stef! I'm glad you liked your vanilla beans. IndriVanilla is also on Facebook! Join us for recipes, news, and ideas! http://www.facebook.com/pages/IndriVanilla-Natural-Bourbon-Vanilla-Beans-from-Java-Indonesia/225684140805640 or at http://www.indrivanilla.com :)
Asiya - Although I LOVE vanilla bean paste in frosting, I found that in the cupcake the vanilla bean paste didn't yield as strong as vanilla flavor as the bean itself.
Debbie - Hmm. Not sure what to suggest. Could it be the brand of wrapper?
I've been checking in frequently to see how this experiment was going and excited to see you have a winner. I'll definitely be trying this out as soon as I get a chance and see how it fares against my usual vanilla cupcake. Interestingly, this recipe is not so far off from mine though I stopped using oil in my vanilla a while back as I found it left the tops too shiny and the flavor wasn't as full as when I just use butter. Comments on that?
I definitely need to try this recipe!! :) Looks delicious...and I love that adorable photo of the cupcake with the crown!
I will definitely be trying this recipe...probably soon! Just out of curiosity, what did the third of people who didn't approve of this recipe have to say? What were their issues with it?
I KNOW that this is like, blasphemy, but if I don't have a vanilla bean can I substitute extra vanilla extract? What's your thoughts?
Finally! I can't wait to try this!
if yall want to buy bigger quantities of vanilla beans this is where i get mine http://amzn.to/rh3ZAb. i didnt know how many i would be using when i did buy them...so like a dummy i bought two 1/2 lb bags...and even at the rate i used them i just opened the second bag a few weeks ago! i bought both bags on aug 11 2010 and the beans are still fresh and moist even a year later! i use vanilla beans in everything now that i have them. i made my own vanilla extract, frostings, cakes, cookies, cupcakes, jams, ice creams..you name it.
Haahahahah that will teach me to actually read the entire post instead of scanning it! you mentioned the same place i get mine from! YAY
Being from England i always have problems with recipes in cups! Before i have always just ignored the recipe or done a very very rough conversion. i NEED to try this recipe and as so much effort has gone in to calculating exact amounts i would be grateful if someone knows what the quantites are in grams!
Steve
I agree with Steve! Being from Australia I am often put off buy recipes with cup measurements, It would be wonderful converted to grams!!
So... I made these last night... And, I gotta admit. I was a little underwhelmed. For them to be called the "ultimate," I guess I expected something mind-blowing... And, these weren't mind blowing. They were good, don't get me wrong... they just weren't AH.MAZE.ING. I made them for my husband's grandmother's 75th birthday today, and nobody shouted their praises... I had to ask if they were good, and everyone was just kind of like, 'Oh. Yeah. They're good.' Like I said, underwhelmed.
Also, they were a little *too* moist. Is that possible? I think I might like a more dense cupcake... this was just too fluffy and light and moist. It was kind of hard to chew sometimes...
So, I don't think I'm in the 66% that LOVES them, but I'm also not in the 33% that doesn't. I'd say I'm in the 1% of gray area. Good recipe... but, just good. (I will, however, probably make them again...)
Sugar Daze - I found that the cupcake was too heavy with only butter. The oil lightens it up.
Maggie - There was no one consistent problem that they had. That was part of the reason that I stopped at this one. With the other recipes, most of my tasters agreed on the flaws so I could work on fixing them. With this one, the people who didn't think it was the Ultimate either thought it was very close but was just missing something, preferred a denser cupcake, or ended up with cupcakes that did not come out looking right.
Bryna - If you don't have a vanilla bean just leave it out. The cupcakes will still be good, they just won't be the Ultimate vanilla. I don't think that adding more extract will help much.
Steve and Kate - I'm working on it! Check back soon for updates to this post.
Erin - Try it without the oil and with double the butter. If you prefer your cupcakes denser, you might like it better that way.
Looking forward to trying this recipe!! Any chance we can get recipe 1 and 2? This would give the rest of us the opportunity to be explorers too.
Thanks!!
Hi Stef! Any idea how I can make it without the eggs, yet have the cupcake turn out the same (at least similar)? Thanks for the help! :)
Kate21 and Steve and anyone needing to bake by weigh, (I think it's a better way anyway,) here's a on-line conversion site that I use often: http://www.onlineconversion.com/weight_volume_cooking.htm
Stef.
I didn't have any vanilla beans handy so I substituted a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste instead. Since I live in Florida and the humidity usually affects the cupcakes if there's too much liquid, I used all butter instead of butter/oil. I get much better results with an acidic batter (not having the batter flow over the cups) if I do not use baking soda. I baked them in commercial 1.75 oz. cup pans for 14 mins. (yield 48 cupcakes) (I checked the oven temperature with another thermometer and it is correct).
The cupcakes had a slight dome, taste like vanilla and are light and fluffy (not as light as box cake but not dense either). My grandchildren ate them warm without frosting. :)
Thanks to all the Explorers for testing the recipes. I will be making this again.
oh my, this is a great project. Trying to find the best recipe.
AMAZING!!! Had my own small panel of testers and they all loved it!!! And one of the testers was a past home ec teacher at our school if it passed her tasting you know it is amazing!
I have a vanilla cupcake recipe that I like to use but am always looking for something even better. With it passing the test of 50 bakers I'm sure it really is the ultimate vanilla cupcake recipe. I like your suggestion that you can substitute yogurt as I like to find healthier alternatives when possible. I've just starting working with vanilla beans and love the flavor; it really does make a difference. Thanks for sharing! I can't wait to try this one.
I just made this as a wedding cake.. LOVE that it bakes almost flat, and it is absolutely the BEST tasting vanilla cake I've ever made! I had a question though... the first 2 8" cakes I made looked perfectly fine, but the rest of them (three 10", three 6" and 1 more 8") all had a ring in the middle of it that was a darker color. I can't figure out what I could've done to make it different.. I doubt it makes it taste any different, but just wondered if you had a thought as to what I may have done. Thanks so much for such a AMAZING recipe!! btw each batch (there were MANY bc I didn't want to double it as I was afraid it would change the batter) made 2 8", 3 6" and 1 10" (layers- I stack them 3 high)
I will be making this for my son's first birthday cake this weekend, for roughly 40 people. Any suggestions on amounts? I can't wait to taste it!!
I've tried multiple vanilla recipes and this is my favorite by far! I'm not a vanilla fan so I look for a little extra, this was flavorful but not overpowering, light, fluffy and for the small amount of butter, it still had a nice buttery taste. I did a honey cream cheese frosting with cinnamon streusel as a play on crumb donuts. Props to you and the testers!
can i just take out the vanilla bean???
I'm going to bake a rainbow version of these for a bake sale this thursday. I hope it turns out as fantastic for me as it has for others! :)
I mead these for my hubby when he got home from a weeklong trip. Vanilla bean is his favorite and these did not disappoint! I topped half with your vanilla bean buttercream (delish, by the way) and the other half with a milk chocolate frosting that is a staple in our house. They were awesome! Perfectly light and fluffy, I will be making these again. Thanks!
Thank you Steph for the recommendation to IndriVanilla. I just placed an order for 1/4lbs gourmet beans, and I'm so excited to get them. The customer service was EXCELLENT! Would definitely recommend! I'm so excited to receive my beans, I have never tried real vanilla beans before, as I have always found them to be outrageously priced in stores. If I remember, I'll update on the beans when they arrive!
I just baked these and gosh! these are so good. I did make some changes (yogurt instead of sour cream, plain flour instead of cake flour but I used confectioner's sugar so I think it balances out). Here's my post:
http://foodiezone.blogspot.com/2011/10/beach-cafe.html
ohhhh my goodness, this is devine - perfect texture!!! I subbed plain yogurt for the sour cream, still turned out delicious. I think this will be my go to recipe, thanks so much for sharing!!!
I have a go-to vanilla recipe... So I'm going to have to give this one a shot.
I don't know what went wrong! These cupcakes turned out greasy on the bottom, any tips?
I suck at baking but i'll definitely try making this. thanks for sharing the recipe. I'll get back on how it went
I made these last night, they are the BEST I have ever had!
Thanks very much for the ingredient weights! Cant wait to try it now! (and hopefully use some of your conversions for other recipes!)
Steve
HI, I AM FROM MEXICO LOVE YOUR BLOG. I WANT TO BAKE THESE CUPCAKES FOR A FRIEND JUST I QUESTION, WHAT IS THE FROSTING YOU USED IN THE PHOTO?
...I tried these cupcakes along with the icing this past weekend and here are reviews I got:
Mike (son-in-law) said he hates send the rest to his house so I am not forced to eat them
Kira (granddaughter) said these taste just like the ones at Cupcakes on Kavannaugh (her favorite place to eat cupcakes).
Eli (grandson) said these are better than the ones at Cupcakes on Kavannaugh.
Summer (daughter) said - she was trying to figure out how to sneak another one in without the kids finding out.
I thought they were excellent. Best I have ever eaten.....
Anon - I'd rather not share one and two. There was a reason that they weren't chosen.
Nisha - I don't have an answer for you. But, I may give that a try sometime.
MagdaHondi123 - You could, but then it would only be good - not the Ultimate.
Ruth K. - Hmm.. I don't know what happened. Sorry to hear.
Anon - I used my vanilla bean buttercream.
PamP - Sounds like they were a success! Thanks for the full report!
Hi,
The vanilla cupcake recipe is great! But I have a quick question! Can I substitute the canola oil with butter?
Thanks,
Madcup!
Love it! From the looks of it, this is really the King of Vanilla cupcakes. Add me to the groing list of bakers who tried out this recipe. Thanks a lot.
I did replace vanilla extract for the bean, 1:1, and they were still delicious. Obviously using the beans would be much better, but it still makes for a great cupcake! Thanks!!
I just made these cupcakes and they were so delicious! The only change I made is that I soaked the de-seeded vanilla bean in the milk! Very very delicious. Topped with milk chocolate sour cream frosting!
Madcup - You can, but it won't be as light and fluffy. I've tried it with all butter and it is a lot denser.
These cupcakes are fitted for my little princes! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe with us!
Just made a double batch of these and they are excellent! Limited by the ingredients I already in the house, I used only vanilla extract and made it with skim milk instead of whole...and they were still wonderful! Looking forward to making them again with the vanilla bean and whole milk. Thanks for the great recipe!!!
Hi! Your cupcake project is the most beautiful and tastiest I have ever seen. If I were the judge, I would have given it a rating of 100%. I will surely keep your recipe in my list of "special recipe" for a special occasion. Thanks for sharing it!
Hi! I'm glad to have found these. I'm making cupcakes for my daughter's 3rd birthday tomorrow and she actually requested vanilla. Did you make the crown out of fondant or is it paper? Thanks for the help. meelers@gmail.com
Camilla - The crown is made out of paper. Although, I'm sure if you are good with fondant, you could make a fondant crown.
Can we freeze the cupcakes without the frosting? If yes, then for how long? In my country we don't have vanilla extract only essence. Is it ok to use that or should i opt for powdered vanilla instead?
Meemz - Yes, you can. Typically you can freeze cupcakes for 3 months or so. Although I haven't tried these specifically. I'm not sure on the essence question as I've never worked with it. Sorry. You may have to experiment.
Thank you thank you thank you!!!!
I just made this recipe and they are beyond fantastic!
Everything that I have been searching for in vanilla cake. I have tried & tested countless recipes that had the taste but never the texture I wanted. This is it for me :)
I used vanilla bean paste and butttermilk (that's what I had on hand) and it is now officially my "go to" vanilla recipe.
Pam
THANK YOU thank you thank you!! I have been searching for a vanilla cupcake recipe that incorporated oil as well as butter for months!! Honestly I have. Finally a moist & fluffy vanilla cupcake, the recipe was spot on in my opinion.
One question, were the tops of your cooled cupcakes sticky? I followed the measurements perfectly. Any input I would appreciate.
love your website! what would you replace the eggs with?
Update from Pam commenter #62...
the next day the cupcake papers started peeling away from the cupcakes :(
Any ideas on how to prevent this from happening? I love everything about this recipe but would hate to give someone cupcakes with wrappers peeling off :( please help!
Thank you so much! This is really the ULTIMATE VANILLA Cupcake. The texture of the cupcake was fluffy. The vanilla bean did the trick. It is delicious. With the vanilla bean seeds. One thing I noticed though, after the cupcake cooled down, the top of my cupcake was a little harder than the inside. Any suggestions/comments on what I may have done wrong?
http://myredmixingbowl.blogspot.com/
http://www.artpiececakes.com
I agree with Erin - I'm kind of in the middle. I was expecting the cupcake to blow me away given the fact that they were crowned the ultimate...and it didn't. I baked these for a child's birthday party and they generally didn't inspire any "wow factor" compliments. However, i would eat the raw batter ALL. DAY. LONG....tastes like the ultimate vanilla ice cream, only melted =) Added bonus: you inspired me to finally trade in my raw vanilla bean virginity ;)
This recipe is delicious. It's become that go-to vanilla cupcake recipe I've been searching for! I don't have vanilla beans so I made it without, but I definitely would like to try it with. The texture was great, my favorite part, nice a fluffy!
PLEASE do a ultimate chocolate cupcake! And maybe a red velvet... And of course any other flavor you'd like to add!
Thanks so much for sharing!
I've tried out quite a few different cupcakes in my fairly short life (you can say that when you're under 30, right?!). This is by far THE best vanilla cupcake recipe to date. WOW, the texture, the taste the 'more-ish-ness' (is that even a word? I'm from Denmark, so I guess I'm excused!)I've shared this recipe with as many of my fellow baking enthusiasts as possible - and they love it to death too!
Thanks a ton for sharing - FYI I used creme fraiche and they were fab!
Louise
Lizzie - I may create a vegan version some day, but I have not done so yet. Sorry.
Pam - You may want to try a different brand of wrapper. That problem happens more with some brands than others.
PosterGal - Hmm.. the tops do typically get just a bit harder than the insides. Be sure to remove the cupcakes from the trays immediately to help with that.
I made these last week for my son's birthday party - absolutely wonderful! Tried another recipe I found first which came out very cornbread like. These are light and fluffy and the consistency of a cupcake, not at all like cornbread. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe and all of your hard work! I must say one thing - I should have done a test cupcake because they rose higher than I anticipated, next time I will know. Awesome!!! I will use again and again and again....
Also a quick question - I want to purchase some greaseproof liners - black and brown for the holidays. Do you have a favorite brand? Thanks!
Hi thanks so much for the recipe! I just made them and they taste awesome. I followed the recipe exactly... But just have one problem, my cupcakes have tunnels. What could I have done wrong? Over mixed maybe? Please help thanks
Viviana
Kristy - I use so many different kinds of liners because I'm always looking for new patterns. I've been really happy with the solid color ones from Fancy Flours. They hold their color really well.
Viviana - I'm not sure. It's possible that it was over-mixing, but it's hard to say.
where can i buy the vanilla bean to make the cupcakes?
I just made these cupcakes and they were divine...I am having a hard time not eating them one right after another. They remind me of the vanilla cupcakes a popular coffee shop brings out around Valentine's Day. Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe.
what is the best brand of cake flour to use?
Anon re beans - I have links for buying beans in the post.
Anon re cake flour - Great question. I used Swans Down, but I haven't really experimented with other brands.
I was looking for an oil based recipe and this is it!! they are soooo good even without the frosting. I substituted sour cream with buttermilk and tad more of butter. I agree that using oil instead of butter gives all kinds of cupcakes a lighter and spongier texture even after being refrigerated. Thank you so much for this recipe! it's definitely for keeps!
This recipe was AWESOME! I used a little less than the 1/4 cup of oil. It was perfect! Everyone at my office party loved it! Thank you for this recipe! Can you do an ultimate chocolate recipe?????!!!!
I always been interessed to cupcakes. They are cute, and seems to be so tastefull. I am good in the kitchen, but never really try to make homemade cupcakes.
Yesterday I tried the Ultimate Vanilla cupcakes with the Vanilla Bean Buttercream frosting.
My wife, my daugher and I totally APPROVED the result. For the Vanilla lover, those recipes are a must.
Not only the taste is great, but the cake is so moist, it melt in your mouth! Yummy!
Now, what should be my next trial ? :)
I just want to thank you soooo much for posting amazing recipes. I love to bake and this site is always my first stop for recipes! Keep up the great work.
am i able to cut out the cake flour and use all pupouse instead? if so would i need to sift it and what would the measurments be?
These cupcakes are amazing! I've probably made them over twenty times and they never disappoint. Everyone oohs and ahhs over them! I change two things when baking them only because I like a little bit denser cupcake. I use all butter and sub buttermilk for the milk. They still come out light and fluffy. One person I made them for said they taste like a vanilla cloud :) topped with your vanilla bean Buttercream...oh my goodness! A little piece of heaven. Thank you!
Wendy
Mine just came out the oven. Wow wow wow, I am so proud of myself (thank you for the recipe).
South Africans who grew up on tea with "queens cakes," are going to love them. They are soft and hmmmmm.
This is now my secret recipe that I will be making flop proof - Oh and I did not have sour cram so I mixed 2tbsp of lemon juice with fresh cream and it worked.
Tea is calling....
These are so delicious,Vanilla pods a tad expensive but oh soooo worth it!
Thanks for sharing :)
Stef, thank you for your sharing your recipe. I made these tonight, and used Arrowhead Mills Organic Pastry Flour (says it good for pastries and cakes) because I couldn't find cake flour at the store. My cupcakes turned out tasting like sweet cornbread. I'm guessing my choice of flour is the problem? Thank you for your help!
Jacquelyn - Unfortunately, the flour was probably the problem. I've never tried this recipe with pastry flour though, so I can't say for sure.
So I made this the other night, but silly me got Self Rising Cake Flour, rather than Swans Down Cake Flour which doesn't have the added baking powder and salt. So what I did was omit the BP and salt from the recipe. I LOVED them! I always find that getting a good vanilla cake or cupcake has been such a hassle and this recipe is amazing! I always use vanilla beans in my vanilla/yellow/white cakes, but this recipe is just perfect! Thanks so much! Now to find an icing I love!
this is by far the BEST vanilla cupcake recipe out there!!!! just tried it and my stepson can't get enough of it! I had to hide the rest of the cupcakes from him ;)
Is there a difference in using granulated sugar or just "sugar"? Thanks!
Tiffani - Same thing.
I made a test batch of these cupcakes today, and they came out delicious but had a "wheaty" taste to them...I wonder what caused it? I'm making a another batch for my daughter's party this Friday and would love to correct this "wheat" taste....any suggestions? I followed the recipe exactly...I didn't shift the flour though...so I will shift it this time around and hopefully that will help! Otherwise these cupcakes are great...light and fluffy!
Here it is early Christmas morning and I have just finished baking and in a moment of relaxation discover this wonderful vanilla cupcake recipe. Oh, do I wish all the ingredients were on hand!
New Year's day vanilla cupcakes are in the works. Thank you.
OMFG I just made these last night & they are amazing!!!! So soft, vanilla-y & moist. I bow to you. Finally, a vanilla cupcake that isn't dark, dry, buttery or just plain boring. I ate like five without the frosting lol whoops
I tried out this recipe yesterday and they came out great!! Loved the bread!! Although, the bread came out way too soft. Thanks for the recipe!!!
P.S. The vanilla bean was waaay too expensive!! 9 dlls for only ONE vanilla bean!! oh well, it was worth it! :D
i cant get hold of any cake flour, if there really no other flour i can use instead?
:(
this is THE BEST vanilla cupcake recipe ive ever baked..i've been experiementing for a year now and have not found a single recipe that wasnt dry and bland, until now. i used 2 tsp vanilla in place of the vanilla bean and it worked just as well.
Hi Stef! I made this for my brother's bday and I thought it was really good! However, my cupcakes turned pointy, I only had one which had a dome shaped top. What would be the culprit, was it the overmixing? I use a hand mixer by the way. Other readers, please help too! Thanks a lot! ;)
I left out the vanilla bean and used our leftover eggnog as the milk, topped with cream cheese frosting. A double batch turned out good. It really made a difference to take them out of the oven exactly on time, in my oven that was at 11 minutes.
My friend and I are in Oxford, England waiting for school to start so we just made these and absolutely love them!!! We used the chocolate cream cheese frosting since neither of us are big buttercream fans, and both the cake and the frosting were delicious. I put a shout out for them on my blog. Can't wait to try more of your recipes as we procrastinate on our degrees :)
Here's a link to the blog post if you want to see our experience baking them and pictures http://buyinganelephant.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/the-first-cupcake-experiment/
Thanks again for the recipe!
oh yesss these are VERY good :) I used Wilton Buttercream icing:) My new go-to recipe!
I made these today and I was a bit disappointed. The flavor wasn't as strong as I hoped it would be, and the cake was a bit too moist/airy.
Yummmm! Made these cupcakes tonight with your vanilla bean buttercream frosting. My daughters, who normally just eat the frosting, ate the whole thing! Hubby was quick to go back to seconds. We're definitely part of the 2/3s in favor of this recipe! It is the best vanilla cupcake that I have baked yet.
So I made these cupcakes for a football party and I have to say, they were ALL gone before half time! Definitely by far the BEST vanilla cupcake recipe! Thanks!!
I am so glad I found/tried this recipe before I did another one. I knew when I saw butter and oil I was going to have a winner. I didn't have vanilla bean so I used vanilla bean paste and I used half/half instead of whole milk and it was sooo good. I had a little batter left and sprinkled some french vanilla pudding and it was STILL good! Thank you so much for this recipe! It is so in rotation!!!
I made these today. I was scared because I do not typically have good luck with baking cakes. I has some vanilla infused olive oil on hand so I used that. THESE ARE AMAZING!
I am going to make these for my boys birthday party. THANKS!
Amber
Gilbert, AZ
I've been searching for vanilla recipes that will be my "go-to" recipe and found this. I can't wait to try. Just a question though, how many cups of batter can this recipe make? can this make a 6"x3" round cake? Thanks!
Thank you so much for the recipe kuddos to all 50 bakers. I substitute yogurt for sour cream and vanilla milk for the whole milk since I didnt had vanilla beans in my kitchen, but the texture of this cupcake is AWESOME!. Im making them again once my vanilla beans arrive so i can get a full vanilla flavor.
I too was underwhelmed by this recipe. I love your blog, but these just didnt blow my mind like I thought they would. I am baker by profession and was thrown off by the way these were mixed, and I think it was the oil that dominated the flavor in these. It overwhelmed the vanilla in my opinion, given the quantity of it, it should been very vanilla forward. My crowd, who is honest and mostly loves my creations gave these a "meh". However this does not stop me from loving you or your blog any less! :)
i was wondering if vanilla bean paste would do the same as the vanilla bean? i have paste on hand but if you think it wont ill wait to make these :)
They are really the best!!!!
Woo-hoo! You did it!! This really is the recipe for the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake! This is the first vanilla cupcake recipe that I will make again (and again, and again...)! I made these for the dessert table for my daughter's wedding. I used vanilla bean paste (my only change), and they rose beautifully and taste so yummy! Thank you so much!!!
Hi Stef,
This is the first recipe I saw on your blog, and I tried it today. I totally agree with all who have said that this is the best vanilla cupcake ever...I have never tasted a better one,anywhere! My husband and kid who only eat desserts with chocolate in them raved about this one, and wanted second helpings! Changes I made - sub homemade yoghurt with sour cream. I also didnt have vanilla extract, so I added more vanilla bean seeds and 1tblsp extra yoghurt to balance the liquid measurements. I had to bake them for approx. 18 minutes. Noticed that after they cooled down, the top was slightly harder than the inside. But I thought that the mildly crunchy crust and the crunch of the vanilla seeds added to the taste of the cupcake. Thank you for this keeper recipe!
AC - As I never make cakes, I'm not really sure. Sorry.
Wilene - You can use paste. But, my Explorers found that it was better with a bean.
Uh-mazing. My husband and I are vanilla cupcake connoissiurs, and these are most definitely among the the best we've had. Delish. THANK YOU!
I can't wait to try this recipe! I just have one question though... when I mix in the sugar/vanilla bean mixtuer with the flour etc, do I use an electric mixer, or shall I use a wooden or metal spoon?
Just thought I would ask, as sometimes the outcome of how well they rise depends on if I use an electric mixer or a spoon.
Thanks for the great recipe, keep up the good work! Philippa.
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe, I can't wait to try it!
My favorite vanilla is from Mexico, and can be found at http://www.MexicanVanilla.com.
I just now made these cupcakes, and I'm tempted to eat them all myself! NOMNOMNOMNOM :D I'm working on making the vanilla bean frosting to go with them right now. Can't wait 'til it's all done!
Not overly impressed, and neither was my panel of 12 taste testers. Out of 10 kinds of cupcakes critiqued this weekend, this vanilla cupcake (which I did a white-on-white, using a vanilla buttercream frosting) received the lowest ratings from my panel. Won't be using this one for making wedding cakes or cupcakes.
These are FANTASTIC.
I add just a splash of almond extract and it takes them over the top yummy!
This is my new go-to vanilla cake recipe.
i just made these..
MAJOR FAILURE
for some reason they didn't rise and now they are small and wet..yuck
I just made these amazing cupcakes! Everyone at the party raved about them in fact I had to print the recipe and pass it out. The only change I made was using Vera Cruz Mexican Vanilla (available on line at www.veracruzvanilla.com or in No. Cal whole foods markets) and also used their Mexican vanilla beans. The difference using the Mexican vanilla was incredible. Thank you for a great recipe I'll definitely be using again for future parties
Best vanilla cupcakes I've ever baked!! Thanks for the recipe!
outennesLOVE THESE!!! MAKING THEM FOR MY WEDDING :D
Thank you!!!
These were good but not knock your socks off great. Am an experienced baker and followed directions exactly. Will keep looking for the ultimate cupcake....
I am not sure why others either had problems with or said this was just an ok cupcake. Mine came out beautiful, were light and fluffy, tasted DIVINE!!! All my ingredients were fresh and my vanilla beans were nice and moist. I also make my own vanilla extract. Maybe the vanilla bean makes all the difference in the world in the flavor? Thanks for the wonderful recipe!!!
I have to add to the stream here...these were incredible. I doubled the batch, and it was a good thing, because I probably ate half before I even shared them with anyone else! Thanks for sharing! YUM.
The batter is delicious...not sure if they'll make it to the oven
I made these cupcakes, taste really good, moist and fluffy but they are really oily. The cupcake liners are covered in oil, right after they were taken from the muffin tins (before putting them to the cooling rack). Oh well, maybe I will try to bake them again and see what happens. I still wonder what I did wrong...
Dear Stef,
I baked these a few days ago and I still can't take my mind off them. They came out so perfect I simply couldn't believe my tastebuds. I used French Meringue Buttercream for frosting and filled them with blueberry jam. They were just sensational. I am one happy baker, and I really want to thank you for perfecting this recipe! I hope it's not contrary to your blog policy to have links in comments (and I appologize if it is), but here is a link with pictures to the result :) http://www.reteteveggie.com/en/2012/02/13/the-ultimate-vanilla-cupcakes/
Hugs from Romania!
Andie
Philippa - You don't need an electric mixer. You can just use a spoon.
I just tried this Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake recipe and it was a total DISASTER!!!! I have never seen worse looking cupcakes! :( I did everything right, but they just burned in the oven and were still runny inside :( Can anyone help me!?? Is it just my oven?
Hi, I was just wondering if you can make these white cupcakes?
These were amazing! I made them as mini cupcakes for a coworker's birthday, and people were raving! Thanks so much for the recipe!
These are the perfect vanilla cupcake! I filled and frosted mine with canoli and chocolate chip filling - amazing! Your recipes have perfect texture, thank you for sharing!
"Vanja, I'm no longer exited about what it's like in Paradise. I just had a taste of one of you cupcakes." This compliment was given to me a couple of weeks ago from a coworker when I had brought left over cupcakes to work. These vanilla cupcakes are really amazing! They are fluffy, yet moist, and really, REALLY tasteful. I have made them 6 times now, and here's a few tips for those of you who still haven't tried them, and for those of you who have tried them, but for some reason failed:
* It's crucial the eggs have room temperature. If they are too cold, the cupcakes will collapse, making a crater on top.
* Do NOT replace full fat sour cream with a lighter type! If you do, the cupcakes lose some of their substance.
* Use LOW speed when mixing the batter. If you go medium og high, the batter won't "stick" to the cupcake liners.
* Weigh the batter when filling up the liners. For regular size liners, 48-50 grams will give perfect size cupcakes.
* I added an extra 25 grams of baking flour (= 200 g).
* I think the cupcakes taste even better using only 1/2 vanilla bean, replacing the other half with 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar.
I really wish for you that you'll succeed in making these. I bake a lot for sale, and through all my years of baking, these are by far my my favourite <3 Thank you SO much, Stef!
Is it possible to use all purpose flour in this recipie???? Please help, its all i can get my hands on.....
I am an experienced home baker...I've been looking for a fabulous vanilla cupcake recipe for years. Everything I tried was too crumbly, too gummy, too sweet, too sticky, too dry, too something. These are PERFECT. This method of mixing is called (by America's Test Kitchen) the "Reverse Creaming" method. It works great. I used a food processor to combine all the dry ingredients with the butter, until it was perfectly homogenous. Then I mixed all the wet ingredients together (including the milk, a departure from the instructions) until they were totally mixed. Then I dumped the dry ingredient/butter mixture into the wet stuff and gently mixed them by hand. PERFECT. No curdly looking stuff because I had everything at room temp. THIS IS KEY!!!
Heat your milk for 20 seconds in the microwave. Let your eggs sit in a bowl of hot tap water for 5 minutes. Let the sour cream sit out and warm up a bit.
I am in love!
These are absolutely phenominal! I can't stop making them! But please Can you come up with the ULTIMATe Chocolste cupcake! I've tried so many recipes only to be disappointed! Help! Lol.
Decided to do a vanilla cupcake showdown with some friend using this recipe and 3 others I found on other blogs. I didn't have vanilla bean, but followed the rest of the recipe. Even without the vanilla bean, this recipe was voted the favorite!
Stef, Thank you so much for your wonderful blog and beautiful cupcakes! I made a double batch of the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake tonight and I made them gluten free! :) OMG I'm in heaven! They are So GOOD. I followed the recipe exactly using a kitchen scale and weighing out everything (thanks for listing out both type of measurements...weight seems to work so much better when baking gluten free). Just in case anyone wants to know I used C4C, Cup For Cup by French Laundry which you can buy at Williama-Sonoma.
Thanks! Suzanne
p.s. your frosting is fabulous too!
YUMMMMMMMMMMMO, I"m a vanilla cup cake freak, I try a new recipe every week, so far this is my all time fav. recipe, so light and moist, I did add a little more vanilla, just because. Delicious! I give this cup cake 5 stars, I made a butter cream frosting, with flour, butter, sugar, milk and mor vanilla. Awesome! I will make these again, ( tonight if I have sour cream ) Thanks for sharing!
I'm definitely going to have to test this recipe out. Sounds very yummy!
The first time I made these cupcakes they turned out perfect! The second and third time they have come out lumpy on the top. I was planning to make these for my daughter's birthday tomorrow but am worried the bumpiness will make them difficult to frost.
Anyone have any tips to avoid getting the bumps??
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