These are the most delicious vanilla cupcakes I have ever had. They are our family favorite. Hard to explain but they are light and dense at the same time. Another thing I love about them is their flat tops after baking (see photo below). Some cupcakes get a big domed top and makes it tricky to add icing to them. We don’t use a lot of icing and although I am very handy with a piping bag and fancy tip, we prefer to use an offset spatula and put a flat layer of icing on each cupcake.

I can’t remember where I learnt this but here is one other trick for eating a cupcake. I break the cupcake in half and I put the bottom half on the top so that the icing is in the middle. It is a bit weird but I find the cupcake easier to eat with icing in every bite!!

The recipe for both the cupcakes and icing use a slightly different method and they are both delicious. Enjoy!!

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Vanilla Cupcakes (from the Whimsical Bakehouse Cookbook)

1 3/4 cups cake flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup + 2 1/2 tsp warmed milk (110F)
2 large eggs
4 oz unsalted butter (very soft at room temp)
1 tsp vanilla (this is time for the best you can get)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1.Sift flour and salt into mixing bowl. Add in sugar and mix.

2. Add milk, eggs, butter and vanilla and mix to combine. Mix at a low speed with the whisk attachment for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and then mix for 1 1/2 minutes at medium speed. Add in the baking soda and mix at low speed for 30 seconds.

3. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full. Bake at 350F for 18-20 minutes or until just golden. The tops should spring  back when lightly pressed. Makes 12 -14 cupcakes.

Vanilla Icing (From the Sprinkles Baking Book)

2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
3 cups icing sugar (I don’t sift mine but it helps if your sugar is lumpy)
5 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla (again good vanilla is best)

1. With a paddle attachment beat the butter and salt until light and fluffy (2 minutes).

2. Reduce the speed and add the icing sugar. Beat until incorporated.

3. Once incorporated, turn up the speed of the mixer and add in the milk and vanilla.

4. Beat icing until fully blended 1 to 2 minutes, making sure not to incorporate too much air.