This is how you can make a very simple cupcake bouquet with buttercream flowers. This is the perfect dessert to bring to a Mother's Day brunch, bridal showers, or even baby showers. All you need are some cupcakes, a piping bag with piping tips, buttercream frosting, and a special occasion to bring your beautiful cupcake bouquet.  

Tools Needed

• Leaf tip
• 1M piping tip
• #2 round piping tip
• #6 round piping tip
• ​Small star tip
• ​Flat tip
• Piping bags
• Cake board
• Food coloring (yellow, pink, purple, green)

Ingredients Needed For A Cupcake Bouquet

How To Make The Vanilla Cupcakes

This is my favorite basic vanilla cupcake recipe and makes about 24 cupcakes but you could use any cupcake recipe or even a box mix. I especially love Duncan Hines cake mix to make red velvet cupcakes or chocolate cupcakes because it's just so quick and easy. These cupcakes are mixed using the reverse creaming method which makes a very moist and closed crumb but requires more mixing. Don't worry, you won't over-mix!

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line your cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
2. Combine the vanilla and buttermilk and set it aside. 
3. Combine the eggs and oil in a separate container and set it aside. 
4. Place the cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached. 
5. Add the softened room temperature butter in small pieces and mix on low until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
6. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes to develop the cupcake texture. It will be very light and fluffy.
7. Reduce the mixing speed to slow and slowly add in the egg mixture and mix until the cupcake batter is homogenous. 
8. Scoop your cupcake batter into your lined pans with a cupcake scoop or spoon. They should be ⅔ of the way full (about 1.5 ounces) for the best dome.
9. Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until the center is just barely set. If you're making mini cupcakes, bake for less time. 
10. Let your cupcakes totally cool before you frost them.

How To Make The Colors Of Frosting

The first thing you need to do is make your vanilla buttercream and get it colored. I chose a nice yellow, pink, purple and a pale green but you can always choose different colors depending on what you like best. 

1. Place your egg whites, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla into the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment attached. 
2. Mix on high for 5 minutes. 
3. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add in your unsalted butter in 2" pieces until it's all added in. 
4. Mix on high for 5 minutes or until it looks light, fluffy, and no longer tastes like butter. It should have a sweet vanilla taste and just melt in your mouth.
5. Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low for 10 minutes to help remove bubbles.
6. Divide your buttercream into different bowls. I saved some of the white as well for some roses, buds, and the bow.
7. Add a drop of food coloring of your choice to each bowl and mix until well blended. 
8. I used an immersion blender to get out any remaining bubbles and make the buttercream really smooth for piping.

Step By Step Instructions

To see a video tutorial of how to make these buttercream flowers, check out the video at the bottom of this blog post in the recipe card.

1. Arrange your cupcakes on a cake board or platter. Place a dollop of buttercream under each cupcake to prevent them from sliding around.
2. I find it easier to pipe directly on the board but if you want to hold the cupcake and then place it onto the board if this is your first time piping flowers and that works better for you. 
3. Start with your 1M piping tip and some white buttercream to make some white rosettes. Some people also like to use Russian piping tips if you don't feel comfortable with your cake decorating skills.
4. Follow up with the drop flower tip for the hydrangea flower. I did pink and purple hydrangea cupcakes.
5. Then add your yellow petal flowers. These look kind of like garden roses to me. 
6. Fill in the edge of the cupcake with some green buttercream and the leaf tip. 
7. I like to go back in and add some small blobs of green and then white in the center to look like buds. This is a great way to just give the whole cupcake bouquet a finished look. Some people like to use little squares of tissue paper in between the cupcakes to fill the gaps and that works just fine too.
8. I also added some more white buttercream flowers using a small star tip to fill in some gaps. 
9. Now I'm using a round piping tip and some green buttercream to make the buttercream stems coming down from the flowers. 
10. I used a flat piping tip to make a little bow with some white buttercream but you could use a round piping tip as well. 

The best thing about this cupcake bouquet is that it's so easy to serve. Everyone just grabs a flower! No need to cut and serve. 

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Cupcake Bouquet With Buttercream Flowers

How to make a beautiful cupcake bouquet with buttercream flowers. The perfect dessert for Mothers Day, baby showers, bridal showers, or birthdays.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Decorating Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cupcakes

Calories 209kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• 6 Piping Bags
• 1 9"x13" cake board
• 6 piping tips
• 24 cupcake liners
• 2 cupcake pans
• 1 Immersion blender optional

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

• 10 ounces cake flour
• 9 ounces granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 4 ounces vegetable oil
• 5 ounces buttermilk room temperature or slightly warm
• 4 ounces unsalted butter softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Easy Buttercream Frosting Recipe

• 6 ounces pasteurized egg whites
• 24 ounces powdered sugar
• 24 ounces unsalted butter softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making Vanilla Cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two cupcake pans (or a muffin pan will do) with paper liners. You can also bake one pan at a time if you only have one cupcake pan. This recipe will make about 24 cupcakes.
• Combine the vanilla and buttermilk in a separate measuring cup and set it aside. 
• Next, add the eggs and oil to a separate bowl then whisk and set them aside. 
• Add the cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You can use a large bowl and an electric mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer, just mix for longer. Use these photos as a guide instead of mixing by time. 
• Then add the softened butter to the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture resembles a sandy texture. Depending on how soft your butter is, this might take a minute or two. 
• Pour the milk mixture into your dry ingredients and increase the speed to medium (speed 4 on a KitchenAid, speed 2 on a Bosch). Mix for 1 ½ minutes to develop the fluffy structure of the cupcake. The batter will go from being yellow to a fluffy white.
• Slowly add your egg mixture in three parts and mix on low until it's fully combined.
• Fill your liners ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter. I use my kitchen scale to measure out 1.5 ounces of batter per cupcake.
• Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden brown and the center of the cupcake springs back when you lightly touch it. I rotate my cupcakes halfway through baking for even browning. If you’re making mini cupcakes, bake for less time.
• Let your cupcakes cool in the pans for five minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Place your favorite frosting into a piping bag with a tip, I like a 1M or a 2F, and pipe a swirl on top. I love using my easy vanilla buttercream and topping them with a few sprinkles. Swiss meringue buttercream or strawberry buttercream would also be delicious.

Making Easy Buttercream

• Place the pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Combine the ingredients on low and then whip them on high for 4-5 minutes (until shiny) to dissolve the powdered sugar.
• Now add in the salt and vanilla extract. If you want to add in any food coloring, now is the time.
• Add in your softened butter piece-by-piece, then whip it on high. It will look curdled at first. This is definitely normal. It will also look pretty yellow, just keep whipping.
• After your buttercream looks like this, remove about 1 cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
• Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.
• Whip it on high for 8-10 minutes until the buttercream is white, light, and shiny. If it tastes like sweet ice cream, then it’s ready!
• Finally, switch to a paddle attachment and mix the buttercream on low speed for up to 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream ultra smooth and remove any air bubbles. This step is optional, but if you want really creamy frosting, you don’t want to skip this final step.
• For extra white buttercream, add a drop of purple food coloring. The purple counteracts the yellow in the butter, toning the buttercream to make it white.

Cupcake Bouquet Assembly

• Place your cupcakes onto your cake board
• Pipe your buttercream flowers onto the cupcakes
• Add your buttercream stems and bow

Notes

1. For the best rise, fill your liners ⅔ with cupcake batter or 1 ½ ounces per cupcake
2. Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing your batter (milk, butter, eggs). 
3. Use clear vanilla extract for that “classic grocery store cake” flavor. Use good quality vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or even a vanilla bean for true vanilla flavor. One vanilla bean = 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. 
4. Preheat your oven to 350ºF for 30 minutes before baking to give your cupcakes a good rise and set the dome. 
5. Baked cupcakes can be frozen for up to 6 months.
6. Buttermilk is essential to this recipe because it adds flavor and moisture. If you have whole milk and white vinegar or lemons, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.
7. Cake flour is what makes these cupcakes extra soft and fluffy. If you don't have cake flour, you can try using my cake flour substitute recipe, or try searching for "Shipton Mills soft cake and pastry flour."

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 93mg | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 195IU | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 0.2mg

The post How To Make A Cupcake Bouquet With Buttercream Flowers appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.

Starting with a box cake mix creates a foolproof formula that allows extra time to color the batter, which requires a little extra mixing, but won't cause the batter to be over-mixed like some cake recipes. The end result is a fluffy cupcake with bright colors and a nostalgic vanilla flavor. The best part is the sour candy on top, but the versatility of the design is what makes these so fun. 

Rainbow Cupcake Ingredients

Box Cake: A doctored box mix recipe makes a quick solution to a homemade cake. It really is foolproof, even if something is scaled incorrectly, the outcome is still a delicious cake. It's very stable and allows you to play with and alter the batter, like adding colors. 

Flour: Adding a little extra flour gives the box cake a little more structure, so it has a tighter crumb and can handle different kinds of frostings as well as stacking if you wish. 

Gel Colors: Using concentrated gel color reduces the amount of liquid you are adding to the batter, if all you have is a liquid color, that will work too, just try not to add more than 2 Tablespoons of liquid color to each bowl of batter. I like to use ChefMaster or Americolor for my gel colors, but there are many good brands that are easy to find. 

Easy Buttercream is a delicious, easy, and versatile frosting. You can color this as well if you would like. Cream cheese frosting, ermine buttercream, or even a whipped ganache will also pair well if you are feeling fancy! 

Making Rainbow Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F and prepare 2 cupcake pans with paper cupcake liners.
2. Add the cake mix, flour, sugar, salt, sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and milk to the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer. 
3. Combine all of the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients on low speed and then mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. 
4. Divide the batter into 6 separate bowls. 
5. Using your preferred food color, color each of the small bowls in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple to your desired shade of cake. The color will be more vibrant when baked. Pro-Tip: Make sure to use gel food coloring like ChefMaster or Americolor instead of liquid for more vibrant colors.
6. Starting with the purple batter, either pipe or spoon about 1-1.5 tablespoons of batter into each cupcake cup. Layer each colored batter on top of the last. Try to spread the batter to the edges so you can see the rainbow through the cupcake paper. 
7. Place the cupcakes into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Make sure the center of the cupcake is done so it doesn’t sink when it cools. 
8. Cool the cupcakes for 5 minutes in the pans, then remove and place them on a cooling rack to fully cool. This way the bottoms of the cupcake don't get wrinkly from the steam.

Making Easy Buttercream

1. First, place the egg whites and the powdered sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Attach the whisk and combine the ingredients on low, and then whip them on high for 4 to 5 minutes (until shiny) to dissolve the powdered sugar.
2. Then, add the salt and the vanilla extract.
3. Next, add in your softened butter piece-by-piece, and whip it with the whisk attachment for 8 to 10 minutes until white and fluffy. When it no longer tastes buttery, it's done!
4. Finally, switch to a paddle attachment and mix the buttercream on low speed for up to 15-20 minutes. This step is optional but if you want really creamy and bubble-free frosting, you don't want to skip it.

Assembling the Cupcakes

1. Prepare a pastry bag with easy buttercream and a large star tip. Pipe a swirl of vanilla buttercream frosting on top of each cupcake. Pro-tip: If you do not have a piping bag, you can use a Ziploc bag.
2. Cut the rainbow strip candy into 3-inch portions. Place the rainbow on top of the cupcake in an arch.
3. Add gold or rainbow sprinkles in any design you desire to the top of each cupcake.
4. To store the cupcakes, place them in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes or frosted cupcakes for up to a month.

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Rainbow Cupcakes

Light, buttery and moist rainbow cupcakes are six layers of color that bake up into a centerpiece-worthy treat. Top them off with fluffy white buttercream or tangy cream cheese frosting then complete your cupcake creations with a shower of rainbow sprinkles. There are so many cute rainbow candies, the decor options are endless!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cupcakes

Calories 524kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• 2 cupcake pans
• 24 cupcake liners

Ingredients

Rainbow Cupcakes

• 1 box white cake mix I like Duncan Hines
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream room temperature
• ½ cup unsalted butter melted
• 1 cup milk room temperature
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 6 bottles gel food coloring: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple 2-3 tsps of each color

Easy Vanilla Buttercream

• 6 ounces pasteurized egg whites (from a box)
• 24 ounces powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 24 ounces unsalted butter softened

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making Rainbow Cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350° F and prepare 2 cupcake pans with paper cupcake liners.
• Add the cake mix, flour, sugar, salt, sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and milk to the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer. 
• Combine all of the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients on low speed and then mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. 
• Divide the batter into 6 separate bowls. 
• Using your preferred food color, color each of the small bowls in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple to your desired shade of cake. The color will be more vibrant when baked. Pro-Tip: Make sure to use gel food coloring like ChefMaster or Americolor instead of liquid for more vibrant colors. 
• Starting with the purple batter, either pipe or spoon about 1-1.5 tablespoons of batter into each cupcake cup. Layer each colored batter on top of the last. Try to spread the batter to the edges so you can see the rainbow through the cupcake paper. 
• Place the cupcakes into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Make sure the center of the cupcake is done so it doesn’t sink when it cools. 
• Cool the cupcakes for 5 minutes in the pans, then remove and place them on a cooling rack to fully cool. This way the bottoms of the cupcake don't get wrinkly from the steam.

Easy Vanilla Buttercream

• First, place the egg whites and the powdered sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Attach the whisk and combine the ingredients on low, and then whip them on high for 4 to 5 minutes (until shiny) to dissolve the powdered sugar.
• Then, add in the salt and the vanilla extract.
• Next, add in your softened butter piece-by-piece, and whip it with the whisk attachment for 8 to 10 minutes until white and fluffy. When it no longer tastes buttery, it's done!
• Finally, switch to a paddle attachment and mix the buttercream on low speed for up to 15-20 minutes. This step is optional but if you want really creamy and bubble-free frosting, you don't want to skip it.

Assembling the Cupcakes

• Prepare a pastry bag with easy buttercream and a large star tip. Pipe a swirl of vanilla buttercream frosting on top of each cupcake. Pro-tip: If you do not have a piping bag, you can use a Ziploc bag.
• Cut the rainbow strip candy into 3-inch portions. Place the rainbow on top of the cupcake in an arch.
• Add gold or rainbow sprinkles in any design you desire to the top of each cupcake.
• To store the cupcakes, place them in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes or frosted cupcakes for up to a month.

Notes

1. For the best rise, fill your liners ⅔ with cupcake batter or 1 ½ ounces per cupcake
2. Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing your batter (milk, butter, eggs). 
3. Use clear vanilla extract for that “classic grocery store cake” flavor. Use good quality vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or even a vanilla bean for true vanilla flavor. One vanilla bean = 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. 
4. Preheat your oven to 350ºF for 30 minutes before baking to give your cupcakes a good rise and set the dome. 
5. Baked cupcakes can be frozen for up to 6 months.
6. If you don’t have a paddle attachment, mix by hand with a spatula to avoid overmixing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 260mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 1015IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Rainbow Cupcakes appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.

These homemade cupcakes are similar to my famous easy chocolate cake recipe and easy buttercream frosting, but even easier to make! Even my daughter, Avalon could make these cupcakes at 5 years old. The trick is warming your wet ingredients and not over-mixing the batter so that it stays cohesive and doesn't separate.

Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients

Oil – Cocoa powder is very drying so to make your chocolate cupcakes moist, you will need oil. Some recipes use butter (like mine) for added flavor and texture but oil really helps create moist cupcakes.

Warm Buttermilk – Not only does the warm buttermilk help bloom the cocoa powder, it also makes the cupcakes super tender and moist. 

Espresso powder - This is an optional ingredient, but helps make them delicious. It doesn't make your cupcakes taste like coffee, it just enhances the flavor of the chocolate. I use hot coffee in my chocolate cake recipe, so it has a similar effect without adding extra liquid.

Brown Sugar - Did you know that white sugar is just brown sugar with the moisture removed? It adds a depth of flavor that is delicious, just make sure to sift it to remove any hard lumps. That moisture is called molasses. If you want to add moisture to a recipe, replace half the white sugar with brown sugar.

Cocoa powder - Really any kind of cocoa powder will work for these cupcakes. You can also use dutch-process cocoa powder for a darker color and more intense flavor, or natural cocoa powder for a more milk chocolate flavor.

Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients

Pasteurized egg whites - Many meringue-based frostings use eggs as a key ingredient. This chocolate buttercream is a mock-Swiss meringue buttercream where you skip the step of heating the eggs with sugar. Pasteurized egg whites are heat treated and are safe to eat without cooking and normally come in a carton. If you only have fresh eggs, I suggest making my chocolate Swiss meringue recipe.

Making Chocolate Cupcakes

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and prepare your cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. For the best results, warm the buttermilk in the microwave (roughly 100ºF), bring the butter to room temperature, and warm the eggs in hot water for 5 minutes. Warm ingredients will create an emulsion and a smoother batter.
3. Combine the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla together and set it aside.
4. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder in a mixing bowl and set it aside.
5. Cream together the butter, white sugar and sifted brown sugar in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use the whisk attachment and a hand mixer, but I would mix the rest of the ingredients by hand to avoid overmixing.
6. Add in the eggs one at a time while mixing on low, letting the first one mix in before adding the second. Scrape the bowl to be sure that everything is mixed well.
7. While mixing on low speed, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients, followed by ⅓ of the wet ingredients. Alternate two more times until just combined.
8. Fill your cupcake liners ½ of the way full. This recipe makes about 24 cupcakes.
9. Bake the cupcakes at 350°F for 18-20 minutes until set. Do not overbake.
10. Cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.

Making Chocolate Buttercream

1. Place the pasteurized egg whites, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder into the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on high for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar.
2. Add the vanilla, salt, and softened butter in small chunks, then whip on high until light and fluffy, about 8-10 minutes. Once it no longer tastes like butter, it's done.
3. If your buttercream looks curdled, remove about 1 cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until it is barely melted. Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.
4. Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low for about 10 minutes to remove the air bubbles and create super smooth buttercream. This is optional but will make it extra creamy.
5. Frost the cupcakes as desired. I used a 2F piping tip and a piping bag for mine.

FAQ

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Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

The ultimate chocolate cupcakes with tons of rich chocolate flavor thanks to buttermilk, brown sugar, and a touch of oil. These chocolate cupcakes have a very moist crumb and bake up with a nice little dome that's perfect for a swirl of chocolate buttercream frosting!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cupcakes

Calories 373kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• Mixer with whisk and paddle attachment (stand or handheld)

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

• 5 ounces unsalted butter softened (½ cup + 2 Tbsp)
• 6 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup)
• 4 ounces brown sugar sifted (½ cup)
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces all-purpose flour (1 ¾ cup)
• 2 ounces cocoa powder dutched or natural (½ cup)
• 1 Tablespoon espresso powder (optional)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 10 ounces buttermilk warm (1 ¼ cup)
• 2 ounces vegetable oil (¼ cup)

For the chocolate frosting

• 4 ounces pasteurized egg whites (½ cup)
• 16 ounces powdered sugar (2 cups)
• 3 ounces cocoa powder sifted (⅓ cup)
• 16 ounces unsalted butter softened (2 cups)
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcakes

• Preheat your oven to 350ºF and prepare your cupcake pan with paper liners.
• For the best results, warm the buttermilk in the microwave (roughly 100ºF), bring the butter to room temperature, and warm the eggs in hot water for 5 minutes. Warm ingredients will create an emulsion and a smoother batter.
• Combine the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla together and set it aside.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder in a mixing bowl and set it aside.
• Cream together the butter, white sugar and sifted brown sugar in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use the whisk attachment and a hand mixer, but I would mix the rest of the ingredients by hand to avoid overmixing. 
• Add in the eggs one at a time while mixing on low, letting the first one mix in before adding the second. Scrape the bowl to be sure that everything is mixed well.
• While mixing on low speed, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients, followed by ⅓ of the wet ingredients. Alternate two more times until just combined.
• Fill your cupcake liners ½ to ⅔ of the way full. This recipe makes about 24 cupcakes.
• Bake the cupcakes at 350°F for 18-20 minutes until set. Do not over bake.
• Cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.

Easy Chocolate Buttercream

• Place the pasteurized egg whites, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder into the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on high for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar.
• Add the vanilla, salt, and softened butter in small chunks, then whip on high until light and fluffy, about 8-10 minutes. Once it no longer tastes like butter, it's done.
• If your buttercream looks curdled, remove about 1 cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until it is barely melted. Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.
• Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low for about 10 minutes to remove the air bubbles and create super smooth buttercream. This is optional but will make it extra creamy.
• Frost the cupcakes as desired. I used a 2F piping tip and a piping bag for mine.

Video

Notes

1. For the best rise, fill your liners ⅔ with cupcake batter or 1 ½ ounces per cupcake
2. Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing your batter (milk, butter, eggs). 
3. Use clear vanilla extract for that “classic grocery store cake” flavor. Use good quality vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or even a vanilla bean for true vanilla flavor. One vanilla bean = 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. 
4. Preheat your oven to 350ºF for 30 minutes before baking to give your cupcakes a good rise and set the dome. 
5. Baked cupcakes can be frozen for up to 6 months.
6. Buttermilk is essential to this recipe because it adds flavor and moisture. If you have whole milk and white vinegar or lemons, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.
7. If you don't have a paddle attachment, mix by hand with a spatula to avoid overmixing. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 706IU | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe (Super Moist) appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.

I love these vanilla cupcakes because there are so many frosting options that go with this recipe. You can combine it with strawberry buttercream to make strawberry shortcake cupcakes. Or frost them with some yummy chocolate ganache or chocolate buttercream. For lemon lovers, try filling your cupcakes with some lemon curd and topping them with fresh stabilized whipped cream. You can even add spices to the batter and make them into spice cake or add in sprinkles to make them funfetti cupcakes! This is seriously the best vanilla cupcake recipe.

Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients

Buttermilk is essential to this recipe because it adds flavor and moisture. Buttermilk is acidic and actually breaks down the gluten in the flour, making a more tender cupcake as well. If you have whole milk and white vinegar or lemons, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.

Oil is important for keeping the cupcakes moist, but too much oil in a recipe will cause the wrappers to peel away from the cupcake.

Cake flour is what makes these cupcakes extra soft and fluffy. This recipe uses the reverse creaming method, which coats the flour in a layer of butter and then whips in the air. Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, so it's important to use it to get the right texture. If you don't have cake flour, you can try using my cake flour substitute recipe, or try searching for "Shipton Mills soft cake and pastry flour."

Making Moist and Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes

I recommend first making the vanilla cupcakes, and then making the frosting while the cupcakes are in the oven. They will need time to cool after baking, so don't pipe frosting onto a warm cupcake.

If you're making these for an event, it's best to frost and fill them on the same day that you're going to deliver and serve them.

Making Vanilla Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two cupcake pans (or a muffin pan will do) with paper liners. You can also bake one pan at a time if you only have one cupcake pan. This recipe will make about 24 cupcakes.
2. Combine the vanilla and buttermilk in a separate measuring cup and set it aside. Protip – Use clear vanilla extract for that “classic grocery store cake” flavor. Use good quality vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or even a vanilla bean for true vanilla flavor. One vanilla bean = 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. 
3. Next, add the eggs and oil to a separate bowl then whisk and set them aside. 
4. Add the cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You can use a large bowl and an electric mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer, just mix for longer. Use these photos as a guide instead of mixing by time. 
5. Then add the softened butter to the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture resembles a sandy texture. Depending on how soft your butter is, this might take a minute or two. 
6. Pour the milk mixture into your dry ingredients and increase the speed to medium (speed 4 on a KitchenAid, speed 2 on a Bosch). Mix for 1 ½ minutes to develop the fluffy structure of the cupcake. The batter will go from being yellow to a fluffy white.
7. Slowly add your egg mixture in three parts and mix on low until it's fully combined.
8. Fill your liners ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter. I use my kitchen scale to measure out 1.5 ounces of batter per cupcake.
9. Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden brown and the center of the cupcake springs back when you lightly touch it. I rotate my cupcakes halfway through baking for even browning. If you’re making mini cupcakes, bake for less time.
10. Let your cupcakes cool in the pans for five minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
11. Place your favorite frosting into a piping bag with a tip, I like a 1M or a 2F, and pipe a swirl on top. I love using my easy vanilla buttercream and topping them with a few sprinkles. Swiss meringue buttercream or strawberry buttercream would also be delicious.

Making Easy Buttercream

1. Place the pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Combine the ingredients on low and then whip them on high for 4-5 minutes (until shiny) to dissolve the powdered sugar.
2. Now add in the salt and vanilla extract. If you want to add in any food coloring, now is the time.
3. Add in your softened butter piece-by-piece, then whip it on high. It will look curdled at first. This is definitely normal. It will also look pretty yellow, just keep whipping.
4. After your buttercream looks like this, remove about 1 cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
5. Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.
6. Whip it on high for 8-10 minutes until the buttercream is white, light, and shiny. If it tastes like sweet ice cream, then it’s ready!
7. Finally, switch to a paddle attachment and mix the buttercream on low speed for up to 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream ultra smooth and remove any air bubbles. This step is optional, but if you want really creamy frosting, you don’t want to skip this final step.
8. For extra white buttercream, add a drop of purple food coloring. The purple counteracts the yellow in the butter, toning the buttercream to make it white.

Storing Vanilla Cupcakes

These cupcakes are best eaten within 24 hours of baking, and can sometimes dry out in the fridge. If you're using a buttercream that is shelf stable, store them in an airtight container on the shelf for up to 2 days.

Baked cupcakes without frosting can be frozen in ziplock bags for up to 6 months.

If you're using a fruit filling or frosting that isn't shelf stable, it's best to refrigerate them after about 4 hours. I love filling these cupcakes with fresh homemade raspberry filling.

Tips For Baking From Scratch

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I suggest purchasing a kitchen scale if you don't already have one to make the best scratch recipes. One cup of flour can vary from scoop to scoop depending on how packed the flour is and the humidity in your area. Too little or too much flour can ruin your recipe, so all of my cake recipes (except doctored box mixes) use a scale.

Practice Mise en Place (everything in its place) which means you measure everything before you start mixing so you don't accidentally forget something or add any ingredients out of order. I use a set of medium and small pyrex glass bowls I got from goodwill for this and it makes things SO much easier.

Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature or even a tiny bit on the warm side. I warm my milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. The butter should be soft enough to live an indent in it when you press it but firm enough that it’s still holding its shape. Place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes to warm them up. 

FAQ

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Recipe

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Moist and Fluffy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

These amazing vanilla cupcakes get their flavor and velvety texture from the buttermilk. A soft and fluffy cupcake that is great for birthday parties, weddings, or any special occasion. This recipe makes about 24 classic vanilla cupcakes with my favorite easy vanilla buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cupcakes

Calories 209kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• Stand Mixer
• Paddle Attachment
• Whisk Attachment

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

• 10 ounces cake flour
• 9 ounces granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 4 ounces vegetable oil
• 5 ounces buttermilk room temperature or slightly warm
• 4 ounces unsalted butter softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Easy Buttercream Frosting Recipe

• 6 ounces pasteurized egg whites
• 24 ounces powdered sugar
• 24 ounces unsalted butter softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tiny drop purple food coloring optional for whiter frosting

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making Vanilla Cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two cupcake pans (or a muffin pan will do) with paper liners. You can also bake one pan at a time if you only have one cupcake pan. This recipe will make about 24 cupcakes.
• Combine the vanilla and buttermilk in a separate measuring cup and set it aside. 
• Next, add the eggs and oil to a separate bowl then whisk and set them aside. 
• Add the cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You can use a large bowl and an electric mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer, just mix for longer. Use these photos as a guide instead of mixing by time. 
• Then add the softened butter to the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture resembles a sandy texture. Depending on how soft your butter is, this might take a minute or two. 
• Pour the milk mixture into your dry ingredients and increase the speed to medium (speed 4 on a KitchenAid, speed 2 on a Bosch). Mix for 1 ½ minutes to develop the fluffy structure of the cupcake. The batter will go from being yellow to a fluffy white.
• Slowly add your egg mixture in three parts and mix on low until it's fully combined.
• Fill your liners ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter. I use my kitchen scale to measure out 1.5 ounces of batter per cupcake.
• Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden brown and the center of the cupcake springs back when you lightly touch it. I rotate my cupcakes halfway through baking for even browning. If you’re making mini cupcakes, bake for less time.
• Let your cupcakes cool in the pans for five minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Place your favorite frosting into a piping bag with a tip, I like a 1M or a 2F, and pipe a swirl on top. I love using my easy vanilla buttercream and topping them with a few sprinkles. Swiss meringue buttercream or strawberry buttercream would also be delicious.

Making Easy Buttercream

• Place the pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Combine the ingredients on low and then whip them on high for 4-5 minutes (until shiny) to dissolve the powdered sugar.
• Now add in the salt and vanilla extract. If you want to add in any food coloring, now is the time.
• Add in your softened butter piece-by-piece, then whip it on high. It will look curdled at first. This is definitely normal. It will also look pretty yellow, just keep whipping.
• After your buttercream looks like this, remove about 1 cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
• Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.
• Whip it on high for 8-10 minutes until the buttercream is white, light, and shiny. If it tastes like sweet ice cream, then it’s ready!
• Finally, switch to a paddle attachment and mix the buttercream on low speed for up to 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream ultra smooth and remove any air bubbles. This step is optional, but if you want really creamy frosting, you don’t want to skip this final step.
• For extra white buttercream, add a drop of purple food coloring. The purple counteracts the yellow in the butter, toning the buttercream to make it white.

Video

Notes

1. For the best rise, fill your liners ⅔ with cupcake batter or 1 ½ ounces per cupcake
2. Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing your batter (milk, butter, eggs). 
3. Use clear vanilla extract for that “classic grocery store cake” flavor. Use good quality vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or even a vanilla bean for true vanilla flavor. One vanilla bean = 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. 
4. Preheat your oven to 350ºF for 30 minutes before baking to give your cupcakes a good rise and set the dome. 
5. Baked cupcakes can be frozen for up to 6 months.
6. Buttermilk is essential to this recipe because it adds flavor and moisture. If you have whole milk and white vinegar or lemons, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.
7. Cake flour is what makes these cupcakes extra soft and fluffy. If you don't have cake flour, you can try using my cake flour substitute recipe, or try searching for "Shipton Mills soft cake and pastry flour."

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 93mg | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 195IU | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 0.2mg

The post Moist And Fluffy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.