This is my favorite recipe for classic, homemade eggless vanilla cupcakes recipe. These are buttery, soft, moist and fluffy, in short, the best and perfect. You must make them. (1 cup = 240 ml)
1 stick or 4 oz or ½cupUnsalted butterSoftened at room temperature
¾cupSugar
2teaspoonVanilla paste
½teaspoonLemon zest
1batchButtercream frosting
Sprinklesfor decorating
Instructions
Make sure that all the ingredients are at room temperature. Remove the milk and butter from the refrigerator a few hours before (depending on the temperature of your kitchen time may vary) and let them sit on counter-top and bring them to room temperature.
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) for at least 10 minutes.
To make buttermilk, add apple cider vinegar to the room temperature milk and set it aside for 10 minutes.
Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and keep it aside.
Take cake flour (or all purpose flour + cornstarch mixture), baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
Whisk till everything is incorporated well. Keep it aside.
In another large bowl, take softened butter and sugar.
Start whisking (using a hand mixer or wire whisk by hand or stand mixer with a whisk attachment) till it gets creamy, light and fluffy. In between scrape the sides and keep beating.
Now add lemon zest and vanilla bean paste. Again beat it till mixed.
Now add half of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk. Beat it and as soon as you see it is mixed, stop beating.
Scrape down the sides and add remaining flour and buttermilk. Beat it till everything is incorporated well.
Now using spatula scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and fold the remaining tidbits of flour into the batter.
Now pour into the cupcake liners with only ⅔ full. Do not overfill.
Bake into pre-heated oven for 25-27 minutes or till the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove it to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.
Once they cooled completely then frost them with frosting. And add some sprinkles.
Notes
Shelf life: These cupcakes can be made a day before and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you want to store longer than store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Room temperature ingredients are the key to make them right.