Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
These cupcakes are light and delicious. Very simple, but right on. I added some vanilla bean paste to the whipped vanilla frosting and although it didn’t taste much different, you could see the little specs of vanilla bean which make them seem even more gourmet.
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Ingredients:
CUPCAKES
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste)
- 16 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
- 2 cups sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temp
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temp
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
FROSTING
- 3 sticks plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
- 3 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise or 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Directions:
CUPCAKES
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line to cupcake trays with paper liners - set aside
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt - set aside
- Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and add in the vanilla bean paste
- Beat on medium-high for 3 minutes, until light and creamy in color
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for an additional minute
- Add the sugar to the butter mixture, ¼ cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition
- Mix in the eggs one at a time until well incorporated - scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition
- Combine the buttermilk and the vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.
- Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way full (you will likely have batter left over after filling 24 wells.)
- Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean
- Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely
- Replace paper liners and bake remaining batter if desired
FROSTING
- Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment
- Whip on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute
- Add the confectioners’ sugar to the bowl and mix on medium-low speed just until incorporated
- Add the vanilla bean paste into the bowl and add in the salt
- Continue to beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes
- Mix in the heavy cream and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated
- Increase the mixer speed and whip on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed, about 4-5 minutes
Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats