Cupcakes, who doesn’t know them? So delicious, so easy to make and so versatile. This staple recipe is your starting point if you want to make them yourself. The ideal base that is delicious on its own and that you can play around with.
Easy recipe for cupcakes
As the name suggests, a cupcake is a small pastry, usually baked in a paper or aluminium tray. Basically a mini version of a cake. You can make cupcakes in different ways and fill and decorate them to your hearts desire.
Today I am going to give you a very nice staple recipe, these are the most delicious cupcakes you can make for any occasion such as a birthday party or just because you feel like it. They are deliciously fluffy, airy and have a nice mild vanilla flavour thanks to the vanilla extract.
What is the difference between muffins and cupcakes?
So, they are definitely not the same thing. They are both a sort of little cake, but otherwise the preparation method is very different. With muffins you mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, which you then combine. With cupcakes, you actually make a cake batter with a mixer.
With muffins you often only use oil and with cupcakes you use butter. Muffins are a bit firmer and more bread-like. With muffins you fill the batter all the way to the top of the molds and they rise well above the molds. With cupcakes, you fill the molds to 3 quarters and they remain flat or slightly rounded.
Cupcake staple recipe variations
This recipe makes regular cupcakes which are delicious on their own, but of course you can vary the recipe. I will give you a few options:
- Mix in some lemon zest and/or juice for a fresh twist.
- Turn them into chocolate cakes by adding 20 grams of cocoa powder and optionally 30 ml of espresso for a more intense chocolate flavour. Coffee really enhances the chocolate flavor, so try it!
- For an orange version you can add orange zest and/or juice.
- Nuts through the cupcake are also delicious, for example coarsely chopped pistachios.
Filling the cupcakes
The next step is to fill the cupcakes. Take a piece of cake out of the middle (with a spoon or a special cupcake drill) and fill it with a filling of your choice. For example, jam, lemon curd, (butter) cream or chocolate.
How to decorate cupcakes?
You can decorate them with buttercream or frosting and add sprinkles, chocolate, fresh fruit, marzipan, nuts, caramel and I could go on and on. Decorating them in a particular theme, like I did with these gingerbread cupcakes, is definitely a lot of fun!
Personally, I am a fan of this white chocolate buttercream topping, which is always good. But of course you can go for any other flavour of buttercream. You can also vary the way you spray the cakes. I used a Russian 901 nozzle here, Wilton 8B is similar. Other favorites are Wilton 2D or Wilton 1M.
The easiest way to make cupcakes
Making cupcakes is not difficult, it is similar to baking a cake, but in small molds. Of course, I have a few tips to make it even easier and ensure that your cupcakes turn out great:
- Tip 1: Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature to prevent the batter and buttercream from flaking.
- Tip 2: Every oven is different, so get to know your oven and adjust the temperature if necessary. I always use top and bottom heat.
- Tip 3: Fill the lined muffin tin to 2/3 full, not more. This will prevent them from rising too high. You can also use an ice-cream scoop.
- Tip 4: Do not overmix the dough, as this often results in a cake that is too compact or dry.
- Tip 5: Sieve the flour and baking powder to avoid lumps.
- Tip 6: To test if the cupcakes are done, stick a skewer in the middle of a cupcake and see if it comes out clean, or gently push in the middle and if the cupcake springs back, it is done.
In the mood for more baking recipes? Take a look around on the website, there is something there for everyone. Happy baking!
Ingredients
- 250 gram flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 200 gram caster sugar
- 250 gram unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 eggs (room temperature)
- 4 tbsp whole milk (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- 150 gram white chocolate
- 250 gram unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 75 gram icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Equipment
- Muffin/Cupcake tin
- Cupcake liners
- Ice-cream scoop
- Piping bag + nozzle
INSTRUCTIONS (how to make this recipe):
Make the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius / 340 Fahrenheit top and bottom heat.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugar together with a mixer for 5 minutes, then add the eggs 1 at a time. Beat for 1 minute on medium-high speed.
- Add the flour and baking powder and mix for 30 seconds on lowest speed.
- Mix for 1 minute on high speed. Add the milk and vanilla and mix again for 30 seconds on medium speed.
- Place the liners in a muffin/cupcake tin and fill three-quarters of the way with the mixture using an ice cream scoop.
- Bake them in the oven for 20 minutes, checking that they are cooked through*.
- Leave the cupcakes to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.
Make the buttercream:
- Melt the white chocolate au bain marie.** and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Whip the cream butter with the icing sugar and vanilla extract on high for 10 minutes until white and fluffy, then fold in the white chocolate.
- Pipe the buttercream into an icing bag of your choice and decorate the (cooled) cupcakes with the tufts. Enjoy!
**Melt the chocolate over indirect heat au bain-marie: fill a saucepan with a layer of water and place a stainless steel bowl on top, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Heat the saucepan gently so that the water heats up and, while stirring, melt the chocolate in the bowl over the indirect heat of the steam.
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