Vanilla Buttercream Flower Cupcakes
Flavorful vanilla cupcakes decorated with buttercream flowers in a monochromatic style.
Servings 24
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or handheld mixer
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (2 sticks or 226g)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups whole milk at room temperature (370ml or 12oz)
Vanilla Buttercream
- 2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature (452g)
- 7 ½ cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) (938g)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (or whole milk) (2oz)
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 335℉ (168℃). Prepare your pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 1 minute. Add sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- On medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing in-between additions. Add vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
- Turn the mixer on low speed and add half the dry ingredients and half of the milk. When just incorporated, add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and milk. Stop mixing when just combined.
- Scoop batter into prepared cupcake liners, about ¾ of the way full. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Vanilla Buttercream
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or handheld mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 1 minute.
- Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix on low for 30 seconds. Continue to add powdered sugar one cup at a time. (Cover your stand mixer with a dishtowel while mixing to avoid mess). After all the powdered sugar is all added, scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
- Add salt, vanilla extract, and heavy whipping cream and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
- Change the speed to low and mix for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, dip a spatula into the buttercream. If there is a slight curl at the top, it's ready. If the buttercream stands straight up, it's too stiff. Add 1 tbsp of additional heavy whipping cream and mix on low. Continue to add whipping cream until you get a slight curl.
Notes
- Cake batter: Stop mixing cake batter as soon as it's combined. Over-mixed batter results in dense and rubbery cupcakes.
- 4.5 qt Stand mixer: A double batch of buttercream can fit in a 4.5 qt stand mixer. Anything smaller than that and you have to divide the buttercream recipe in half.
- Buttercream: Make buttercream while the cupcakes cool to save time. When not using the buttercream, cover the bowl with a damp paper towel to prevent crusting.
- Crusting: This buttercream crusts once dried so place a damp towel over the bowl while not using.
- Decorate: Be patient and keep trying! Making flowers takes lots of practice. Scrape off the buttercream and try again.
- Tools to bake great cakes and smooth buttercream: USA Bakeware 12- Cavity Muffin Pan | Stand Mixer or Handheld Mixer | Piping Bags | Rubber Spatula | Digital Scale | Couplers |