BFF Cupcake

Every baker is looking for that perfect vanilla cupcake made from scratch. You want it fluffy but not too fluffy that it doesn't hold up to the frosting. It has to be moist and buttery enough so it doesn't crumble. It has to have that perfect vanilla flavor and not be too sweet. Well, this cake measures up to all that.  This recipe for the cake comes by way of the Cookies and Cups Blog and she adapted it from the Back In The Day Bakery. I topped it with my recipe for milk chocolate buttercream frosting and it made a great cupcake. I had to call it the BFF Cupcake. The marriage of vanilla and chocolate so compliments each other. It's a combination that goes back to the beginning of cake making. I think I'll keep this as my go to vanilla cake recipe. Vanilla and chocolate, chocolate and vanilla, however you serve it, it's Best Friends Forever.


Ingredients for Vanilla Cupcakes
1 3/4 cup cake flour
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 eggs
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
3. In bowl of stand mixer add the first 5 ingredients and stir together using paddle attachment for about a minute. Enough to get them nice and combined.
4. With mixer on low, drop in butter, a few cubes at a time continuing until all butter is in and mixer resembles coarse sand.
5. Add eggs one at a time on low speed. Mix until well blended.
6. With mixer still on low slowly pour in milk and vanilla. Turn mixer to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
7. Fill liners 2/3 full (I use my 3 Tablespoon scoop, that is a little less than 1/4 cup batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until centers are set and toothpick comes out clean. My oven is perfect at 18 minutes.
8. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Makes two dozen


Ingredients for Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon whole milk or cream

Directions
In bowl of mixer cream butter and shortening until light and fluffy.  Add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Beat until well blended. Add cocoa and blend well. Add vanilla and milk and beat well until fluffy and creamy. Spread or pipe on cooled cupcakes. I use a 1M Wilton tip for piping.