Cupcake Project’s Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

I have up until recently always used Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcake that is until one of my friends told me it tasted like a corn muffin to her. So guess what, every bite after that – that was all I could taste. ARGHHHHH!

The Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake by Cupcake Project

Seriously, in one sentence she managed to ruin my go-to vanilla recipe.  So I started checking around at places like Martha Stewart, Epicurious, Cook’s Illustrated and Food Network. Funny thing – every single recipe contained a few review comments stating the end result tasted like a corn muffin.

I don’t want a corn muffin. I want a vanilla cupcake.

Next I headed to some of my favorite blogs. First up for testing was Stephanie’s recipe of Cupcake Project. I chose her recipe first because, I’m partial to her blog – love her and her site. Mostly importantly, I trust her recipes. Along with that she was on her own quest to create the best vanilla cupcake recipe.

She didn’t fail. In fact her recipe delivered big time! If you haven’t tried her recipe you need to. It tasted like a vanilla cupcake not a corn muffin or yellow cake. V-a-n-i-l-l-a!

As a side note, take her advice and bake one cupcake before filling the whole pan and discovering your cupcake are higher than you wanted or not high enough. By that, I’m not referring to the rise. It rises fine. I’m referring to how much you should fill each well.

I have a tendency to like my cupcakes just below top of the liner (although you can see the mini cupcakes crept above that).That’s only because I generally like to cover the whole top with frosting, especially if I make them a day in advance. That way the frosting helps to keep the cupcakes moist.

Hit the jump for her recipe. For the vanilla frosting, I used my go-to vanilla buttercream. And stay tuned, I will showcasing the second vanilla cupcake recipe up for testing on next Monday’s post.

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 5 large egg whites
• 11/2 cup sugar
• 4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla  extract

Instructions:

1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 160 degrees F while whisking constantly.
2. Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium  high speed (speed 8 on a KitchenAid stand mixer) until mixture cools and doubles in volume and forms stiff peaks; about 10-12 minutes).
3. Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. The mixture may appear clumpy and almost curdled looking at first-this is normal. Keep mixing and it will become even and smooth again.

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