Tag Archives: Vanilla extract

Vanilla Cupcakes

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Maison du Père 40th Anniversary Cupcakes

Maison du Père 40th Anniversary Cupcakes (Photo credit: clevercupcakes)

How about a tried and true go-to vanilla cupcake recipe today?  Here’s one from the awesome Glorious Treats:

Tools & Supplies:

Yields- 15-16 cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups cake flour**
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup oil (vegetable, canola or extra light olive oil)
1/2 cup buttermilk
(or 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice- add acid to the milk then set aside for 5 minutes before using)

Directions

* Preheat oven to 350*F.
* In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with whisk, and set aside.
* In the bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs and beat 10-20 seconds. Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and oil, beat.
* Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add half of the milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk. Beat until just combined. Scrap down the side of the bowl.
* The batter will be thin. Pour batter into a muffin pan prepared with paper liners. Fill liners about 2/3 full.
* Bake cupcakes in pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes.
* Cool in pan 1-2 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan (carefully) and finish cooling on a wire rack.
* Frost as desired when fully cool.

Notes

** A note about Cake Flour- Cake Flour has a lower protein content than traditional all-purpose flour, which results in a more tender, delicate crumb in the finished product. If you can not find or access cake flour, feel free to substitute as necessary, but your results will vary from the original recipe.

Related articles

Whipped Cream Frosting

Posted in Recipes by

Photo provided courtesy of elanaspantry.com

Here’s another good frosting recipe.  This fluffy frosting can be color tinted but best to use gel paste food color.  It will not alter the consistency of the frosting like regular food coloring will.

Frosts about 8 cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • vanilla extract (optional)

Directions

  1. Freezer chill your mixing bowl and whisk
  2. Place the cream and powdered sugar in the chilled bowl
  3. Whip with the whisk or hand blender until stiff peaks form
  4. You can also add a few drops of vanilla extract to taste

Troubleshooting

If your frosting needs help stabilizing, use a packet of unflavored gelatin in 1/4 cup heated cream to dissolve the gelatin.  Add it back to the frosting 1 tablespoon at a time and blend, until the right consistency is formed.

How To Color Tint Frosting

Posted in How To by

Photo by thedecoratedcookie.com

There are numerous ways to color tint frosting, and many products out there to help you do so.  I’ll cover two common products used.

Gel Pastes

Soft gel paste food colors (available here) are, in my humble opinion, far superior and recommended over regular food coloring because they:

  1. are tasteless
  2. blend beautifully without watering down the consistency of the frosting
  3. are more concentrated than regular food coloring so you use less to get rich colors
  4. come in many colors and are easily mixable to get the right shade

The Decorated Cookie has some great tips how to use soft gel pastes as well as an awesome chart they put together.

Americolor soft gel paste color chart

Food Coloring

If you are using regular food coloring, keep in mind that some kinds will alter the taste of the frosting, and most will water down the frosting if a lot of drops are used.  Having said that, there are still ways to you can still make beautiful colors with a few basic food colors as shown from Food Network Magazine charts below.  Note: the drops on this chart is meant for food coloring.  Do not use this as a guide for gel pastes because you will not need as many drops of gel.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted in Recipes by
cream cheese frosting

Photo by cupcakecolor.com

Another classic cupcake frosting that’s sweet with a slightly tangy taste.  Typically used with carrot cake and red velvet cake, it is also delicious on chocolate or vanilla!  This frosting is also great for color tinting.

Yield: frosts at least 2 dozen cupcakes

Tools & Supplies

Ingredients

10 oz. cream cheese, chilled
6½ tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3¼ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4 tsp. clear vanilla extract

Directions

Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add in the confectioners’ sugar and mix on low speed just until incorporated.  Increase the speed to medium-high and beat 2-3 minutes more.  Blend in the vanilla.

Add in the food color one drop at a time and blend until you get the right shade.

Frost away!

[Recipe adapted from annies-eats.com]

Troubleshooting

In the event that your cream cheese frosting is still softer than you might like, a quick chill in the refrigerator should help it firm up a bit.

Buttercream Frosting

Posted in Recipes by

Photo by lifeinryans.com

Buttercream frosting is a classic frosting for cupcakes that can be colored and flavored. It spreads easily and pipes beautifully.

Tools & Supplies

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup)
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk, half & half, or cream

Directions

  • Slice up the butter into small chunks. Then, in an electric mixer, beat the butter on a medium speed until completely smooth. 
  • Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating to combine each cup fully before adding in the next.
  • Add in your vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk.
  • Beat until combined and taste.
  • Add in more milk until desired consistency and taste is reached.

[Recipe adapted. More at lifeinryans.com]