Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The Best Moist and Fluffy White Cupcake Recipe


  
"When the world quiets to the sound of your own breathing, we all want the same things: Comfort, love, and a Peaceful Heart."
 
- Mitch Albom from the book, Have a Little Faith


 
"We all want the same thing." We all want to be recognized, and to be acknowledged. Sort of like the scene in the movie, Avatar, where they say, "I see you." If you're an Oprah fan, (like I am), you may have heard her utter those words.
 
Making the base of the frosting, almost like making a thick pudding.

There's one more thing we all want. A moist cupcake. That's the feedback I get over and over, time and time again. That's the main reason people say they don't like cake. They say, "because it's dry."


The "pudding" getting thick! This is added to whipped butter to make the most luxurious, silky and not too sweet frosting that pipes beautifully! It tastes like ice cream.

Moist cake is sort of my thing. It's the number one most important thing to me in cake. My previous go to white cupcake recipe, called appropriately, My Favorite White Cupcakes, is a fabulously moist and delicious recipe. But I knew while they were super moist, they aren't the most fluffy recipe in the world.



This needs to cool down before adding it to the butter.
I get a lot of comments about my cupcakes, and many people tell me it's their go to white cupcake recipe. But I've also gotten comments from people telling me they wished they were a little fluffier. 
 
 

Beating the egg mixture for the cupcakes - I have free range chickens who produce eggs with bright orange yolks, so if you are using supermarket eggs, just know that your batter and cupcakes will be a more pale yellow and not as bright as mine. FYI.

Ask and you shall receive! I'm so glad I embarked on this journey.  Because the results are worth it. And a journey it's been. Finding a cupcake that's super moist, while being fluffy, with the perfect texture, and a nice rounded top. I've been making these cupcakes (with different variations in the ingredients, to get it right) every day for a week, sometimes twice in one day. I never thought I would say this, but I don't think I can eat, taste, or get near one more cupcake. (For at least a few days anyway.)



Weighing the sour cream - When creating a recipe, I measure out the cup measurement, then I immediately weigh it, for those who live in countries who don't use cup increments like we do here in the U.S. Sometimes I'm asked why 1 cup of sugar is slightly different from one recipe to the next, and this is why. It could weigh slightly different from the last time, depending on the barometric pressure and other environmental factors.
 
These cupcakes are oil based. In general oil based cakes are more moist, since butter has some water content, and oil is pure fat. (There are exceptions to that of course, since My Favorite White Cupcakes are butter based.) The other ingredient that makes cake moist is sour cream, and this recipe is full of it. I always use full fat sour cream, and I recommend you do as well. If you live in a country that doesn't sell sour cream, or if it's not available, you can substitute full fat yogurt or full fat Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt would be the closest substitute to sour cream.
 
 

Making the batter

About the fluffy. I've included cornstarch in this recipe, more than you would normally see in any cake or cupcake recipe. The reasoning behind that is, I don't usually purchase cake flour, if I make a recipe that calls for it, I just use the DIY substitute which is a few tablespoons of cornstarch to one cup of all purpose flour. So I knew it would help in the lightness or fluffiness of the cake. Plus, you know when you eat some really good, melt in your mouth kind of shortbread? It's the cornstarch.



Right out of the oven


Seriously, these cupcakes are so fluffy and super moist at the same time, the texture is amazing!

The third universal desire that we all want?
 
 
A frosting that isn't too sweet.

 
I made these cupcakes many times in the last week (tweaking the recipe here and there.) This batch I used grease proof liners, and I recommend you do too.


Seriously. I used to bake for a cafe. I also sold cakes for a living. When asked what type of frosting do you want, more than anything else, people would respond, "something that isn't too sweet."

It's so important to people, sometimes even more important than the flavor.


I love these liners from Reynolds, (they aren't paying me to say this, I just love them) they are lined with foil and totally greaseproof. You don't need to use this brand, but I would definitely look for liners that are greaseproof for this recipe, since one of the batches I used regular liners and the very bottoms got a little bit oily, it wasn't a big deal, but with these liners it was a non issue.


This frosting fits the bill, not too sweet, and tastes heavenly. What it is, is basically thick homemade vanilla pudding mixed with whipped butter. First you make the pudding portion. It's made with sugar, flour and milk. Flour, in a frosting! You may say, but when you think about it, it needs to get body from something other than powdered sugar, like a typical American buttercream would. And, it's sort of like making a roux for a white sauce. Flour is what thickens it. When making a white sauce, you cook the flour taste out of it. Which is something you do here as well. Just make sure to cook it for the full 3-4 minutes and you won't even know that it's there.


Here's the liners I used along with the little pearls, these liners work great, these didn't get oily either. I've used this brand before and I like them, plus with this type of cupcake liner, you can cook them all at one time, since they stand on their own on a baking sheet, no muffin tin needed.
 
This frosting tastes amazing. And, It's a dream to pipe! It keeps it's shape standing tall and proud on a cupcake. It really got rave reviews with everyone I served it to.


My finished frosting


So this is officially my new favorite white cupcake recipe!



The frosting is sort of beige due to the amount of vanilla extract in the recipe, if you want the frosting to be more white, you'll need to use clear vanilla.


 
There's one more thing that everyone wants. A homemade cupcake! Made with care by the hands of someone who loves them. Who wouldn't want that?


 



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Looking for more awesome cupcake recipes?
 
 
 
Pink Velvet Cupcakes (also very moist and delicious!)
 
 
 
 
My Favorite White Cupcakes (not my favorite white cupcake recipe anymore) BUT these cupcakes are topped with one of my favorite frosting recipes in the world, Swiss Meringue Buttercream, which is also not too sweet and really delicious.  
 
 


From top left - Indiana Milk Glass Cake Stand, Small German Porcelain Cake Stand with Pink Flowers, Fenton Spanish Lace Milk Glass Cake Stand, and Antique Johnson Bros Plates with Pink Roses, available at my Etsy shop, House of Lucien.

Enter coupon code ALCHEMY for 20 percent off of your order!




The Best Moist and Fluffy White Cupcake Recipe - with Silky (Not too sweet!) Vanilla Frosting

An original recipe by me, Melissa aka The Alchemist - Feel free to pin, but **Please do not publish this recipe or use my photos, anywhere on the internet, thank you.

**This frosting is sort of beige because of the vanilla extract. If you want the frosting to be  more white in color, you'll need to use clear vanilla, which is always imitation vanilla (since vanilla beans are naturally brown.)

***This recipe can also be used to make a 2 layer 8 or 9 inch cake. Make sure your cake pans are at least 2 inches deep. Grease the pans well, and line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment. The cooking times for cake will be 25-35 minutes.

*** Using greaseproof cupcake liners with these is best, so the bottom doesn't get oily.

Edited to add*** 6/12/2014 - I make these all the time and sometimes I make variations. This time I used vanilla beans in the frosting and I really loved it. To do this, cut open 2 vanilla beans (If they are large only use one) and infuse the milk with them by placing the cut open vanilla beans in the milk for a few hours or overnight kept in an airtight container in the fridge. When you are ready to make the frosting, scrape out the seeds and put them in the milk. Discard the pods, (or dry the pods and add them to sugar for vanilla sugar.) Proceed with making the frosting as usual using less vanilla extract, or none at all, depending on your taste.


Makes about 25 cupcakes

Ingredients for cupcakes

1 1/4 cups (296 ml.) vegetable oil

1 3/4 cups (373 g.) white granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. pure almond extract - If you don't like the taste of almond extract go ahead and omit this, or if you have a nut allergy definitely omit it, you probably don't need to up the vanilla extract since there is a tablespoon of it already

2 1/4 cups (340 g.) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (68 g.) cornstarch

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups (366 g.) full fat sour cream OR full fat yogurt or full fat Greek yogurt


Ingredients for frosting

1 1/2 cups (322 g.) white granulated sugar

3/4 cups (113 g.) all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/4 cups (532 ml.) whole milk

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) (339 g.) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 to 1 1/2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract (depending on your taste) or 1 Tablespoon vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract, or another flavoring if desired. Once I added a Tablespoon vanilla and 1 tsp butter pecan extract, for example

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, 180 degrees Celsius, Gas Mark 4. Put oven rack on the bottom third of the oven. In my oven I bake these in the second rack from the bottom. (I found that with this recipe when the cupcakes were baked in the upper racks they got too brown for my liking.)

Start by making the base for the frosting. (It needs to cool down before using, this part of the frosting could also be made a day or 2 ahead.) In a large saucepan on medium heat, whisk together the sugar, flour and salt, and slowly add the milk. Cook, whisking frequently, really almost constantly so it doesn't scorch, until it comes to a boil. Once it starts boiling, turn down the heat to medium low, and cook for 3-4 minutes, whisking constantly, this is to cook the flour taste out. Mixture will be very thick. Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Transfer this mixture to another bowl and let cool in the fridge.

Start making the cupcakes.

Line muffin tins with cupcake liners (greaseproof are best) and set aside.

In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the oil and the sugar. Beat them together for 2 minutes or so, so they are mixed well and the sugar has dissolved somewhat. Add the eggs and both extracts and beat again for another 2 or 3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and creamy looking.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat on medium low speed just until it's incorporated, don't over beat. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the sour cream and beat on medium low speed just until the sour cream is mixed in well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and beat again just for about 20 seconds to make sure it's all mixed well.

With a spoon or a scoop, fill the cupcake liners slightly over half full. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Start checking after 17 minutes.)

Cool on a wire rack. When they have cooled enough to handle, remove from muffin tins and let cool on racks. Let cool completely before frosting cupcakes.

While cupcakes are baking finish making the frosting. Make sure the base in the fridge is completely cool. If it's warm at all, it's going to melt the butter. If it's very cold in the fridge it may very firm. Don't worry, it's fine.

In a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter for 2 minutes, scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again for another minute or so, until it's nice and light and fluffy. With the mixer going on medium - medium high, gradually add the cooled frosting base, about a "scoop" (a large spoonful) at a time. After each scoop, let it mix until it's fully incorporated. Keep adding and letting it mix together until it's all been used. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for another few minutes until it's super light and fluffy. Taste it and see if you think it needs a little more vanilla extract, or you can add another extract or flavoring at this time.

Frost cupcakes. Refrigerate any leftover frosting. If you aren't serving these right away, keep them refrigerated but let them come to room temperature before serving. If you have refrigerated the frosting, you'll need to beat it again before using. The good thing about this frosting is that it doesn't totally harden in the fridge like a typical buttercream does, (since butter solidifies when cold.)

Happy Baking and I hope that you absolutely love this recipe as much as I do!

212 comments:

1 – 200 of 212   Newer›   Newest»
Adorned From Above said...

These are so pretty and the recipe looks great. We have a link party called Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop and would love to have you share this and any other posts with everyone. It runs from Tuesday night through midnight Sunday. Here is the link to the party.
http://www.adornedfromabove.com
We hope to see you there.
Debi and Charly @ Adorned From Above

Medeja- CranberryJam said...

These cupcakes look so soft and spongy! The cream makes them look like covered with clouds..

Anonymous said...

This looks incredible. So need to try this frosting!!

Best,
Reena

lifestyleenthusiast.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

These are the most gorgeous looking cupcakes!

Unknown said...

These cupcakes look seriously, delightful. Thank you for sharing the icing recipe.
Consider yourself hugged,
http://simpleesue.com/try-one-new-recipe-a-week-butterscotch-apple-fluff/

Emily Thompson said...

those look so pretty and I bet they are delicious too! Thanks for taking the time to link up to Tasteful Tuesdays @Nap-TimeCreations.com. I do feature round ups on Saturdays and Tuesdays now, so make sure you are following the blog in some way so you know if YOU are featured...GFC, facebook or bloglovin are my recommendations :o)

Mary L said...

I recently stumbled upon your blog, love all the wonderful recipes. Would you please consider making them more print friendly. I tried printing off one and it printed at least 20 pages of your blog. Thanks! Can't wait to try some of these.

Mary L

Anonymous said...

Everything here is gorgeous - the display, frosting, those princess cupcake liners! And I love your blog name - I never thought of it before, but baking is totally like alchemy!

The Alchemist said...

Hi Mary L. - The print friendly button on the bottom of each post, (I'm assuming you used that button, when you printed the 20 pages, sorry!) it allows you to edit out what you don't want to print, and remove the images. But you have to select the content you wish to remove before printing.

The print friendly people have a little video that shows you how it works, please see this link (you may need to copy and paste it into your browser.) I hope this helps!

http://www.printfriendly.com/about

Madonna/aka/Ms Lemon of Make Mine Lemon said...

I'm sold so I pinned it.

Marigene said...

Beautiful little cakes...most icing is too sweet for me, so I am anxious to try your recipe. Love your photography.
Have a wonderful week...

Rita said...

These are absolutely stunning! If you get a chance, please share this on my linky party: http://suburbsmama.blogspot.com/2013/04/sunday-link-party-5.html

Anonymous said...

This is the only buttercream I know. My grandmas made it like that, my mom makes it like that, and it rocks.

Unknown said...

Am I blind?? I don't see the directions on how to make the frosting! I have the cakes baked and cooling, and they look DELISH (I can't wait to dig in!) but I'm stumbling now not knowing exactly how to make the frosting - oops! Please help! THANK YOU!

The Alchemist said...

Kellie - The directions for the frosting start in the second paragraph of the instructions. The first portion needs to cool (that's why I included it first). The second directions for the frosting is later after you've baked the cupcakes. Sorry for the confusion!

Unknown said...

I completely missed it - thank you for clarifying! :)

Unknown said...

AMAZING!

I would love for you to share this and link up to my TGIF Link Party! Who knows, you just might be featured next week!

http://apeekintomyparadise.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-peek-into-my-paradise-tgif-link-party.html

Cathy

Unknown said...

I'm so excited to bake these cupcakes this weekend! Can I modify the frosting recipe to make it chocolate??

The Alchemist said...

Hi Emily, I don't know, I haven't done it. But you may be able to add unsweetned cocoa for a portion of the flour I would use 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup coca. Or you might be able to add melted unsweetned chocolate, or melted chocolate chips to it. If you use unsweetned coca or chocolate you might need more sugar.

If you do it I would love to know what the results were.

Happy Baking!

Melissa @ The Alchemist

turtlnsite said...

Hello, thanks for including weight information on your recipe pages! This is the best way to bake!

Please advise: this recipe looks perfect for cupcakes I'd like to make for my son's track team party. The school colors are purple and gold. What do you suggest in coloring the cupcakes: regular food coloring or some other kind? How much? Will it affect the flavor? (asking the same for the frosting, only making them bright yellow) Or do you suggest a different recipe?

turtlnsite said...

Hello, thanks for including weight information on your recipe pages! This is the best way to bake!

Please advise: this recipe looks perfect for cupcakes I'd like to make for my son's track team party. The school colors are purple and gold. What do you suggest in coloring the cupcakes: regular food coloring or some other kind? How much? Will it affect the flavor? (asking the same for the frosting, only making them bright yellow) Or do you suggest a different recipe?

The Alchemist said...

turtlnsite -

Hi there, Yes, you can dye these. I'm not sure where you live, but here in the states, you can purchase either the gel type of food dye at a craft store like Michaels,(or at a cake decorating shop) or a powder. This is the best type of dye to use since you don't need much of it, if you use one of those types, it won't flavor it. I would advise not to use the regular liquid stuff you can purchase at a grocery store since you need a lot to achieve the same results. To answer the question of how much, what you do is add some little by little until it looks the way you want it to. When making the cake, when you have achieved the color you want it to be, first bake one or 2 cupcakes and see if the color is how you want it after baking. If it needs more color add more and then bake the rest. When dying the frosting, it's easier. Just add enough till you have achieved the results you want. I hope that helps. And I hope they love them!

Michelle Paige said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting. I'm your newest follower. I just pinned your beautiful cupcakes...can't wait to try them. I also love the vintage recipe 'scrapbook' you found. Genius idea to use an old book as a scrapbook for recipes. Loved it!

turtlnsite said...

Thank you! I was really concerned about the type of dye...such a beautiful recipe should not be ruined by a simple mistake :) I will check out our local Wine & Cake Hobbies shop. I can't wait to name this weekend!

Unknown said...

I was desperately searching for the ultimate fluffy, moist and delicious vanilla cupcake recipe and I'm happy to say that I have found it. The cupcakes are just incredible,no matter if you use sour cream or vanilla yogurt like I did for a lactose-intolerant friend.
I just want to say thank you for this AMAZING recipe, I will keep it preciously in my cookbook! :D

quraisha salie said...

hi! made these cupcakes today with the frosting and it's simply amazing! was looking for a moist cupcake recipe for ages and this is perfect! the frosting is great as well as its not too sweet! thanks for an awesome recipe!

Addicted2Beauty said...

Ok, so let me begin by saying I never ever leave comments or reviews for anything but I was compelled to do so in this case. My son's birthday was yesterday and I had been searching for recipes for vanilla and chocolate cupcakes that would be really moist and fluffy. I've had bad luck in the past with them being too dry so I was excited when I happened to come across your blog. After reading everyone's comments, I decided to give this recipe as well as your "best moist chocolate cupcake recipe" a try and boy am I glad I did!!! They were a huge hit! Those babies were DELICIOUSLY moist, light, fluffy - you name it! Did I mention the frosting was AMAZINGLY smooth and wonderful and NOT too sweet?! The chocolate ones were nice and chocolatey without being too much and you could not taste the coffee AT ALL! I used decaf since I was sending some to my son's class, and my chocolate snob husband has fallen in love all over again!! :) Everyone wanted more and family members are already asking me for the recipe!! THANK YOU so much for posting these, I finally found the perfect recipes - my search is over!! I'll be baking some more tonight for my son's baseball game tomorrow!!

Jessica said...

My frosting came out really beige, like really beige! Any suggestions? I know the extract will add color but my frosting was more brown than yours. Almost like mashed up banana that's been sitting out. Lol

Unknown said...

These are amazing!!!! I would like to try the frosting but I needed to make cream cheese frosting rather than buttercream. Can I ask what type of tip you use for the frosting? They look so elegant!

The Alchemist said...

Sumaya Flores, quraisha salie, MyKyDawn and Addicted2Beauty - I am so happy you all liked the recipe and that it worked for you! I love hearing that, it really makes my day. Thanks so much for letting me know!

catchinzzzzs -

Since it's just a few ingredients, the only ingredient that could be causing the color is the vanilla. Was it brown before adding the vanilla? Maybe your vanilla is darker than mine. That's all I can think of, since butter is pale yellow, flour is white, not bright white, but white, and milk is white.

Melissa Gustafson - I'm so glad you like them! The tip I used with these is the 1M from Wilton, it's one of their large tips.

Unknown said...

Hi. Thank you soo much for sharing this. I would like to try it but was wondering if this can also be modified to make some other flavored cupcakes - like chocolate or coffee etc. Cheers!

The Alchemist said...

applesmatutina - I have not modified the recipe for other flavors perhaps because I have a great chocolate cupcake recipe, it's in fact my most highly rated recipe by readers, here is that recipe

http://alchemybaking.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-best-moist-chocolate-cupcake-recipe.html

I also have a coffee cupcake recipe named Irish coffee cupcakes, it's a coffee flavored cupcake topped with irish whiskey spiked whipped cream. You can frost them with another frosting and they can just be coffee cupcakes that recipe is here

http://alchemybaking.blogspot.com/2011/03/irish-coffee-cupcakes.html

I hope that helps!

marike said...

Made these today. Very light, moist and fluffy but will omit the almond essence in future?

Unknown said...

Could I make these cupcakes on Thursday night and they still taste great for a Saturday morning baby shower

The Alchemist said...

Amanda - I wouldn't make them that far in advance, but if you must then freeze them. Cool them first, then wrap them in saran wrap individually then place in a freezer ziplock bag so they are double protected, (you don't want them to get freezer burn.)

Then thaw them, it shouldn't take more than a few hours to thaw completely, probably more like an hour tops. Then frost them the day of serving them.

Hope that helps!

Ang said...

Is there a way to thicken the frosting after you made it? I am done mine and it is delicious but I want it firmer for decorating.

Thanks :)

The Alchemist said...

Hi Ang, I've never done it, but I would say the only way to thicken it after the fact is the way you would with a traditional buttercream, by adding powdered sugar, as much as it takes to get it the consistency you want it. Of course that makes it sweeter, which sort of defeats the purpose of making this frosting! But I'm not aware of another way to thicken it.

Ang said...

Thank you, I don't know what I did wrong. It tasts awesome but it is very soft and won't hold shape. I am trying to get it right for my daughters birthday. Any suggestions for what I may have done wrong? Or what to try next time?

The Alchemist said...

Ang - what comes to mind of what may have happened is, well first let's take it step by step - when you have the flour and sugar mixture then you add in the milk slowly, then cook it, and then cook it for a few minutes, for me the mixture was super thick. Was it thick at this point for you? Then you cool that mixture. When mine was cool (when I say cool I mean cold) it was even thicker. Like paste. Was it thick at this point? if it wasn't it means you didn't cook it long enough. Did you cool it completely to where it was cold? If you didn't, it could have melted the butter. If it was cold and thick, was the butter at room temperature? Or was it too melty? that could have been a problem as well. Is it hot where you live? When I lived in Southern california and made butter based frostings like this I know the butter can get too soft sometimes. There's a few ideas. I hope it helps.

Ang said...

The mixture was very thick ( like paste) and cool ( not cold but not warm) , but I think the butter may have been too warm. I had it out to get it to room temperature but it was really hot in my house. The butter was probably to warm. I beat the butter and it got light and fluffy but as soon as I added the mixture I could tell it was too soft. I will try again and try to keep things cooler. I have to get it right for the party, it was delicious and my daughter loves it.

Lydija Dahl said...

I baked these this evening for a function tomorrow and had to try one - they are the most moist, fluffy cupcakes I've had in a very long time.

This is now my new go to recipe - thank you for sharing :)

Unknown said...

I'd love to use this recipe as a base for Strawberry & Vanilla Cupcakes I'm planning on making for my baby shower next weekend.
Can you tell me what quantity of strawberries you'd recommend I use and whether you think fresh or frozen work better for this?
Thank you!!

The Alchemist said...

Hi Amalina - Actually I don't recommend adding strawberries, fresh or frozen to this recipe. Someone wrote me and told me they tried many ways to do it and it didn't work. The reason is there is a lot of moisture in strawberries and it's just too much moisture.

But I do have a strawberry cupcake recipe, Pink Velvet cupcakes, it's really good and they are moist, But it's a strawberry cupcake recipe, not a white cake recipe with strawberries in it.

Here's the recipe,

Pink Velvet Cupcakes

http://alchemybaking.blogspot.com/2012/02/pink-velvet-cupcakes.html

Unknown said...

Hello. I stumbled across this recipe & the cupcakes came out so fluffy & moist. The only problem I had is that I don't like anything that tastes like almond & I found these had a slight almond after taste. Next time I make these I'm going to leave the almond extract out so should I replace it with extra vanilla extract or not add in anything extra at all?

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

This cupcake was delicious, but I found that my cupcake wrapper were soaked through with oil and were very greasy.

The Alchemist said...

Hi Alanna, I'm glad you liked the cupcakes. Greasy liners is a issue with many of my cupcakes if you use a regular cupcake liner. Using greaseproof liners does away with that issue.

I've added that info to the top of the recipe so it doesn't happen to others. Thanks for the feedback!

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...
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CC said...

Tried these as everyone loved it. I'm planning to make 30 of these. Can you please tell me how I can do this perfectly. Can I freeze? What can I freeze? Which one to make first, cake or icing? How many days in advance. Etc.

The Alchemist said...

CC - You can make the cupcakes first and freeze them. You can freeze the cupcakes before icing them. Make sure they have cooled completely. Then freeze them on a tray for about an hour until they are completely frozen solid, then wrap them with plastic wrap individually, then place them in a few gallon sized ziplock bag with all of the air removed. This will prevent them from getting freezer burn. They can be frozen for months. Just defrost them a few hours before frosting them.

Make the frosting the day of serving them and frost them after they have defrosted.

Good luck, I'm glad you liked them!

CC said...

Thank you! My friends who ate the trial love them. In their exact words, yum! Not too sweet and yum!! They wanted more. :)

Can't wait for everyone to eat them and pass your website around. :)

Unknown said...

This recipe is awesome. I stumbled on your site looking for a top notch white cupcake recipe for my daughter's birthday. This frosting is the best I have ever had on a home made cupcake and the cake is really moist and wonderful. Maybe a little more work than traditional icing but totally worth it. Thank you.

The Alchemist said...

Lee Ann- I'm so glad you liked them! Thanks so much for letting me know.

Ugo Chiori said...

Rave reviews. Definitely gon bake these this weekend.

Unknown said...

This looks like a delicious recipe. I'm hoping to make them for my daughter's first birthday party. I am allergic to nuts, though. If I leave out the almond extract will that greatly affect the texture? Or should I replace it with something/increase one of the other liquids? Thanks!
Jamie

Unknown said...

Hi! Ive made the frosting and their super yummy. Had some leftovers though, how long can i keep them?

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The Alchemist said...

Hi Saadiyah, the yogurt you found will probably work fine. Full fat yogurt usually doesnt say, "full fat yogurt", but most yogurts do say things like, nonfat, lowfat, etc. so I would purchase one that simply has the most fat, read the label and the nutrition content for that. Or creme fraiche would probably work. I'm not sure about the soured cream, Ive never seen it labeled as such here in the U.S.

Good luck and happy baking!

The Alchemist said...

Hi jacqueline ong,

Sorry for the late reply, leftover frosting only? It should last 3 or 4 days in the fridge. You'd need to bring it to room temperature, then whip it again to re use it. Also I believe it can be frozen for months, (although I haven't done it with this particular frosting, but I have with other frostings with good results) then brought to room temperature and whipped again before using.

Good luck!

Geetika Kunte said...

Hey, I loved your recipe. The cupcakes were just perfect. I have one question though. The quantity of the cupcakes was a lot. So if I want to make just 12-15 cup cakes, can I reduce the recipe exactly by half? Will it work just as well? Thanks, and keep posting!

The Alchemist said...

Geetika Kunte - I'm so glad you liked the cupcakes!

Yes, you can halve the recipe with good results.

mels stuff said...

This is by far the best tasting cupcake recipe i always get eggy tasting cupcakes but it didn't happen with these
thank you so much awesome recipe

mels stuff said...

HI Just a quick question does using yogurt instead of sour cream alter the taste at all?
Thanks

The Alchemist said...

mels stuff - I'm so glad you liked the recipe!

I can not tell the difference in taste when using either the yogurt or sour cream.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Would you be kind enough to post for only 12 cupcakes??

Unknown said...

These are absolutely amazing! Perfect recipe. Everyone adores them!

The Alchemist said...

Dee Dee - Just halve the recipe.

Faetoki said...

Thank you so much for this recipe!

I'm really terrible at baking, but following your guidance, my cupcakes turn out delicious evey time!

I really love the alternative method of baking with oil and sour cream as opposed to the traditional recipe of butter and milk. Once again, thank you!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the reply. I went ahead and made the cupcakes following your instructions. My husband loved them, as well as I did. These cupcakes are beyond amazing. They're light, not too sweet and perfect! I've been looking for a white vanilla cupcake recipe. I must say yours it's absolutely the best!

lingting said...

hello! just wanted to say that i finally tried this recipe last night and it indeed lived up to my expectations, texture-wise. so soft, light, moist, fluffy! only thing is i used greek yogurt instead of sour cream and canola oil instead of vegetable oil, and there was a distinct sourish + oil taste which I didn't quite fancy. Anyone else face similar probs?

Frosting-wise, I halved the recipe and added 100g of melted dark chocolate and an extra pinch of salt. Made the loveliest, smoothest, richest yet not-too-sweet chocolate frosting.

Thanks so much!

Mindy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mindy said...

What if I use cake flour instead of all purpose flour and cornstarch, how many cups of cake flour should I use?

The Alchemist said...

Hi Mindy, I don't know, I've never done it. My guess would be to add the flour amount plus the cornstarch amount in the recipe, and use that amount of cake flour.

Good luck!

Momma Misti said...

Thank you for your recipes. If we lived in the same town, I'd be taking you to lunch! These are the TASTIEST cupcakes and the most DELICIOUS frosting. I followed your recipe precisely, going as far as to set the timer just to beat the butter for the frosting-2 mins. These beauties came out of the oven looking like a maiden with flawless creamy complexion. I will be serving mini cupcakes at a b.day party today. Baked regular cupcakes with left over batter for husband and kids to taste. They raved about their deliciousness and wanted more, but they'll have to wait until the party later this afternoon. With gratitude, thank you!

Letty said...

Can we leave out the almond extract or substitute it with more vanilla extract if we have allergies in the family?

The Alchemist said...

Momma Misti - That's so awesome! I'm so glad they worked out well. That's great news, thanks for letting me know!


Letty - Yes, leave it out. Although I'm not sure you need more vanilla, since there is already a lot in it, it's up to you.

Good luck!

Briana Wilkins said...

Thank you for posting this great recipe! I couldn't believe how great the cupcakes came out. Also a plus because it is hard to get my boyfriend to like anything :) I have a question though. Is it possible to cut down the amount of oil or will that bring negative results in the fluffiness of the cupcakes? THANKS :)

The Alchemist said...

B Wilk - I'm not sure since I've never tried using less oil. I'm not sure how it would affect the fluffiness of the cupcakes, but it would definitely affect the moistness of the cupcakes. You could try to cut it back a bit, but if you cut it back too much they will not come out the same, since it will not be the same recipe.

Good luck! I hope it works well for you.

Melanie said...

Thank you so much for this recipe. I am so excited to make it for my son's first birthday, and your comments have already helped me a lot. Here's where I was wondering if you could help me figure out: the party is on a Saturday at 1pm, and I have class from 9:30-12:00 that day that I can't get out of. I am going to make the cupcakes this weekend and freeze them per your instructions in the comments. How would you recommend I tackle the icing? Do you think they'd hold up if I make the base a couple days in advance, then ice them in the morning before class and refrigerate them until party time? I'm not much of a baker and am not sure how long these can hold up at room temperature... it shouldn't be too hot inside the house, maybe a comfortable 68-70?

Unknown said...

Hi, thanks for posting these as I prefer my cakes to be super moist. This is my first time trying a white cake from scratch and this didn't turn out so well, as they came out very dense. The batter became really stiff almost doughy after adding the dry to the wet, but became light again after adding the sour cream. I think I may not have added enough oil, I did slightly over a cup but not the full amount. Could anything else have effected the moistness besides the oil? I'm going to try it again and hopefully it turns out right because I have to make 75 cupcakes for a party on Friday and I want to have it right before then. Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

The Alchemist said...

Tamika - Hi Tamika, I'm sorry they didn't work out for you. It's very difficult to asses what went wrong with not a lot of information. For one thing, measuring the ingredients accurately in a baking recipe is important. Also it sounds like you may have beat the ingredients too much after you added the dry ingredients, that could make them dense.

I wish you success if you try them again!

Melanie - Yes, that sounds like a good plan. Making the base of the frosting in advance and keeping it in the fridge is perfect. I would make the frosting that morning and keep them in the fridge for an hour or so before you plan to serve them. These can be at room temperature for a few hours at least. At 68 or 70 degrees the frosting shouldn't melt, I would just be concerned from a food safety standpoint. It would be like keeping a homemade pudding at room temperature. But since you plan to keep them refrigerated while you are at class, that sounds fine. Good luck, I hope it all turns out well!

Unknown said...

Thank you for responding...I just finished making a half batch and they came out perfectly moist. I originally was trying to cut down on the amount of oil by 1/8 cup and that I see was my number one mistake. The small amount of oil made a huge difference in the moistness. I also decided to sift the flour instead of whisking, just to be safe. I also made sure I didn't mix the batter as much. By the way, the icing is also amazing especially since I'm not a huge icing fan. I played with it a bit by adding some lime and key lime juice just to experiment and it was amazing. These are my new go to recipes. Thanks again for posting this, I cant wait to try more of your recipes!!

The Alchemist said...

Tamika - That's great news! I'm so glad to hear it. The lime juice sounds delicious. Thanks for letting me know.

smazztastic said...

THESE CUPCAKES ARE INCREDIBLE AND DESERVE RECOGNITION.

i baked one bath of vanilla cupcakes claiming they were "super moist" came out dry.
second batch, different recipe, still came out dry and more importantly FLAVOURLESS

THESE CUPCAKES ARE DELICIOUS, THEY MELT IN YOUR MOUTH AND HAVE BURSTING FLAVOUR.
kudos to the creator of this recipe. it will be my go to.

Anonymous said...

I want to make these, but I'm planning to make mini cupcakes with it, can you give me advice on baking time for it? Would I get the same results as you if done correctly??

The Alchemist said...

smazztastic - I'm so glad you liked the cupcakes! that's great news. As for the creator of the recipe, that's little old me! Melissa aka The Alchemist. Thank you!


PsychO - Yes, they should turn out well. As for the times, I would check other mini cupcake recipes for a timing guideline. I don't know myself, I rarely make mini cupcakes. Good luck!

Unknown said...

Made them and all we're devoured by my husband and 8 year old grandson who has so many issues with any new food and would never touch anything his mother didn't make so I was thrilled he ate these cup cakes. He loved them. I have searched for hours on the internet for the RIGHT RECIPE ( I'm too fussy ) and these were the RIGHT ONES. Moist and super tasty frosting that wasn't too sweet. Thank you so much for sharing.

papillon said...

Just made this earlier with my niece and we were so happy with the outcome! Super moist, not too sweet and so fluffy.. Though i didn't put any frosting, it was fine.. Just placed some dark chocolate chunk in the middle with the help of my niece,and turned out perfect. Will definitely make this again.. And will also try the rest of your cupcake recipe.. Thank you for sharing this! Thumbs up!
I'm a follower.. ^_^

Anonymous said...

So I tried this recipe recently with some orange and lemon zest added for a citrus cupcake (filled with cream cheese and topped with a lemon cream cheese frosting) and it was PERFECT. Made a 100 cupcakes for my niece's 1 mth celebration, thanks so much for a real keeper!

Mikol said...

OMG! I will NEVER use another recipe to make cupcakes! Even my husband, who doesn't like 'cake' said these were #$&@ delicious! Not too sweet and ridiculously moist! Thank you SO much for sharing!

Mikol said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mikol said...

Actually I lied...I will be trying many of your other recipes too! The lemon cupcakes are next on my 'to bake' list! :) Yum!

Mikol said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Hey Melissa! I'd just like to ask which is the more distinct flavour in this recipe, the almond or the vanilla?

The Alchemist said...

Mikol- That's great news, I'm so glad you liked them!

Unknown - Well, I guess I'd say the almond, since almond extract haters can really tell it's there. But since I like it, I think they just taste like white cupcakes. I wouldn't say they taste like almond cupcakes. Anyway, if you don't like almond extract then don't use it. But if you don't mind the taste of it, I would recommend it, since I think it gives them more flavor.

E. Darcy said...

I made these this weekend. I'm glad I looked at the frosting picture. When you say it will be thick, you weren't kidding. I ended up cooking it longer than 5 minutes, but in the end it was so worth it!

I used your recipe to make tie dye cupcakes. It was a long process, but they are totally cute and taste wonderfully! Thanks for sharing the recipe! I look forward to making them again without dying them into 6 different colors!

jenny lee xx said...

Thank you SO MUCH for this guide - these are hands down the best cupcakes and buttercream I've ever made in my life, you've totally upped my baking game!

I'm going to do Red Velvet next! I am looking to make a Cream Cheese Swiss Meringue Buttercream by combining your SMBC with whipped cream cheese. Here's hoping all turns out well! Thanks again :)

Unknown said...

Can these cupcakes be iced the day before and refrigerated? Will the cupcakes dry out? If so, is there a way that you recommend to store these cupcakes

The Alchemist said...

Unknown - One day in advance should be fine, just refrigerate them and store them as air tight as possible. Just bring them to room temperature before serving.

The Alchemist said...

Jenny Lee xx - I'm so glad you liked them! I LOVE that idea, of the swiss meringue buttercream with cream cheese, what a great idea! I might try it myself sometime. Thanks for the idea!

Unknown said...

How long can I keep these cupcakes in the fridge or out in open airtight container?

Thanks
Sally

The Alchemist said...

Sallie - These are best eaten within a few days of being baked. Sealed in an airtight container, just a few days. If you need them to go longer, you can freeze them by wrapping them unfrosted, (you can frost them after they have been defrosted) wrapped in plastic wrap and sealed in a zip top bag for a few months.

Unknown said...

How long does this frosting keep refridgerated? Or freezed?

The Alchemist said...

Unknown - A few days refrigerated, or frozen for a few months. If you freeze it make sure to keep it in an airtight container. You will need to bring it to room temperature and then whipped again, to use it.

Jersey said...

Hi there! Thank you so much for posting this. I tried your chocolate cupcakes and they were perfect. I tried doing this recipe in form of two 8" cakes, and they took longer than 40 minutes...when i took them out of oven they rose nicely but once set they flopped back down. When I halved them it looked like they were not baked...it wasnt fluffy or spongy. Do you know what may have gone wrong? Should i have let them bake longer?

The Alchemist said...

Jersey - I'm sorry I don't know what went wrong, I wish I could help. There are so many factors in baking, it's hard to tell without all of the information.

Unknown said...

Thank you for this recipe, I have two sons close in birthdays and the older one unfortunately got my first attempt at a cake (which was dry and terrible) but I made these (in 7' cake and cupcake form) and they were perfect! Good thing the are young, they'll only remember good cakes ;)

Thanks for saving my mom reputation! This is fabulous :)

Unknown said...

Hi! When you said white sugar in the recipe, did you mean granulated sugar or powdered sugar?

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Alchemist said...

Hi Joyce, White granulated sugar.

Unknown said...

Can I use 2% or should it be whole milk?

The Alchemist said...

Joyce - Sorry for the late reply. Whole milk would be best, but you can use 2%.

mamaluv said...

I made these cupcakes today and it was an epic fail. Firstly I substituted coconut oil instead of the vegetable oil in an attempt to use healthier options. I also used the full fat greek yogurt and I too got a sourness to the taste. Guess I will have to try the sour cream next time and use vegetable oil. The cupcakes were moist inside but slightly dense and had that sourness taste. Then my frosting was horrible. I cooled the base in the refrigerator until it was cool but my base mix did not thicken as it should have. Ultimately my frosting curdled and separated. I think my butter was too warm also. Just wanted to share my experience with these cupcakes and the substitutions. As Colette says in Ratatouille "Follow the recipe". My stubborness got the best of me. Good thing for trial runs. I will be trying these again but without subbing ingredients and following the directions with pictures.

Anonymous said...

Melissa,
I just pulled them out of the oven and tried one....absolutely delicious!! Since I didn't have sour cream I replaced it with 3% plain yogourt :)

Thank you!

cheers,

Kay

Unknown said...

Hi can I ice the cupcakes the day before the party with this frosting?? will it hold it's shape(just asking because you mentioned that you have to beat left over icing if stored in the fridge) and if I do ice them the day before can I refrigerate them and then bring them to room temperature?? thanks

The Alchemist said...

cinderella4645 - Sorry for the late reply. Yes, you can do it all the day before, store them in the fridge, and bring to room temperature before serving.

Unknown said...

The cupcakes were delicious.... and so was the frosting. The mini cupcakes rose beautifully but the minute I pulled them out of the oven, they all sunk in the middle. Since I covered it up with frosting no one could tell. What could I have done wrong?

Thanks!

The Alchemist said...

Vyjayanthi Govindarajan - It's hard to say. The only thing I can think of is are you sure they were cooked all the way and not undercooked? That's the only thing I can think of.

Unknown said...

Well the toothpick came out clean.... and i did not see uncooked parts...
everyone loved the taste.... so definitely a recipe I want to try again.... can a hotter oven be a reason though?

Cali-kat said...

Absolutely the best cupcake ever!
I fliled them with a fresh lemon mousse.
They looked perfect and tasted heavenly.
Thanks for sharing. I can't wait to try your other recipes.

Unknown said...

I am so excited to make these for a party! Could I also use the recipe to make a cake?

The Alchemist said...

Mary - I'm sure it's too late now, sorry for the late reply. Yes, you can definitely use this recipe to make a cake. Just make sure you grease the pans well. Follow another cake recipe (in the same size you are making) to get an idea of how long it will take.

Unknown said...

Hello! I made these for the first time today and they are DIVINE!! I havr been making different recipes doe the last couple weeks searching for the perfect cupcake for my sister in law baby shower. I can finally stop! :) I followed the directions word for word and they turned out perfect! Thank you so much for sharing, I can't wait to try more of your recipes:)

Unknown said...

Making these cupcakes today. For the icing, you have unsalted butter, is that real butter or margarine. I havent tried real butter much but from what I have read online its much better. Just wanted to see cause I will half to run out and get it.
thanks

The Alchemist said...

Tracey - Yes, please use real butter.

Lapasteleria- Rush said...

Hi, these look great!
I'm thinking of making different flavored (and colored) frosting combinations- like 1/2 tbsp of raspberry extract with pink color. For those, I'll be using liquid colors ( Foster Clarks) will that affect the texture of the frosting? Thanks :)

The Alchemist said...

No, flavors or colors shouldn't affect the frosting.

Kina said...

Hi! Okay, for the hundredth time, your cupcakes and decoration looks so good, so dainty. I've just finished with the frosting base, which I had to use coconut milk and almond milk, less sugar (coconut milk is already sweet) and I didn't have cornstarch. I used tapioca starch. Gosh, I hope it turns out fine. Anyway, my question is could I use organic vegetable shortening in place of butter?

Kina said...

Hi again! I just finished baking these cupcakes. It made 25 as you said. And omg....they were to die for. Imho, I love it even without the frosting! It IS moist. And fluffy! I had intended to bake these for tomorrow, my birthday. Present to myself! But....I'll be nice and share. Next recipe to try from yours is the chocolate cupcakes! After so many recipes, these white cupcakes did it for me. Now, let's see if the Mister will like it. Oh...and for the frosting? It came out perfect! Not too sweet. Quite creamy and satin like. Love love love!

Unknown said...

Hi Melissa...thank you for all of your recipes...they are fantastic and yes, I have tried them all. I am going to attempt to make a cookies and cream cupcake out of this white cupcake recipe of yours. I have tried others and theirs just does not hold a candle to your recipe. I will let you know how it turns out!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this amazing recipe... It ticks all the right boxes for a perfect cake. Mine were slightly burnt, I guess the oven was too hot and maybe next time I'd move the rack a bit higher. I also found it a bit too sweet for my palate. What quantity of sugar can I safely cut out without affecting the recipe? Thanks

A fan all the way from Nigeria:)

Unknown said...

I made this recipe for my daughters Valentine parties at school on Thursday night and test tasted the cupcakes when they were still slightly warm without the frosting. They were super moist, fluffy and delicious. I made the frosting the next morning and frosted all the cupcakes. I had another cupcake just after lunch and the cupcake was okay but the frosting was very doughy tasting. That same evening, I had another cupcake and found that the cupcake was doughy tasting too. I guess it doesn't keep well though it's just been a day. Too bad as it was good fresh out of the oven.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Alchemist said...

Annette Yang - Thanks for your feedback. The frosting tasting doughy could be from not cooking the flour mixture long enough. It's like you are making a white sauce with a roux, the flour taste needs to be cooked out. The base of this frosting is like the base of a pudding, only with butter added to it to make a frosting. In both of those applications the flour taste needs to be cooked long enough to get the doughy taste out.

I don't know why the cupcakes would taste doughy the next day but not the first. Perhaps that batch wasn't cooked long enough is the only thing I can think of. I eat these cupcakes days later and they always taste the same to me, if not a little stale after 3 days.

The Alchemist said...

noni - Thanks for your comment, and I'm glad you liked them.

About the sugar, I have no idea since I've never done it. Feel free to experiment with the recipe.

I think cooking them for less time would help, not just lowering the rack. Ovens vary in temperature.

Happy baking!

Melissa @ The Alchemist

susie said...

the only cupcake recipe I use, perfection! for some reason though, occasionally like every ten times I make it the icing goes wrong and tastes really really buttery, any ideas on why that could be?

Vivian 130895; said...

Tried out the cupcake recipe and my cupcakes turned out absolutely gorgeous! Never tried using sour cream before but the results were really good! :-)

Unknown said...

Hi ms alchemist! Can u give me some tips on how to make the frosting look good. I get frustrated when i pipe and it doesnt look good, thanks so much

Lara L. said...

I was really looking forward to making these for my husband but they just didnt work. He didn't care for the frosting. The cupcake was super moist and fluffy but reminded me of a sweeter more cakey cornbread. On a side note I put a different frosting on a he liked it that way.

The Alchemist said...

Grace - Yes, I will work on that. Hopefully in one of my next cupcake posts.

Unknown said...

I am in love with this recipe!! The cupcakes are perfectly moist and fluffy. I've never made a cooked flour frosting before so I was a little skeptical...but it is awesome! So delicious and not too sweet. Thanks for sharing!

Paris Pillay said...

The texture of these was perfection, always had problems with dense, heavy cupcakes, for the first time using ur recipe i have super spongey light beautiful cupcakes extremely happy. Th only issue is that i didnt have vanila extract so used caramel extract instead and they had a very overly sweet taste, im not sure if this was due to the soured cream or caramel extract as this is my first time using both in cakes, thanks again for taking the time to provide such a detailed great recipe xx

Jan said...

I just made these cupcakes. They are the best! I didn't use the almond because I find that almond is so strong but next time I will try with 1/2t of almond. The frosting is awesome. Thanks so much for sharing. Will try the sweet potato cupcakes next. Do you have a recipe for champagne cupcakes?

The Alchemist said...

Janis - I'm glad you like them!

No, at this time I don't have a champagne cupcake recipe.

Unknown said...

Thank you for this recipe! The cupcakes themselves turned out wonderfully, but unfortunately, my frosting curdled/separated and a bit runny. Any idea what I could have done wrong? I'm pretty sure I followed the recipe exactly. The sugar mixture was plenty cool and the butter was softened. Did I mix too much? Not enough? Was the butter too warm? It was on the counter for a couple of hours while I worked on the cupcakes. I chilled it for a bit and was able to pipe it, even if it did lose its shape a bit. Everyone still loved the taste, but I would love to be able to make it look as pretty as yours. Any advice would be appreciated!

The Alchemist said...

Heather - I'm glad your cupcakes turned out, but I'm sorry you had trouble with the frosting. The only thing I can think of, is that your butter may have been too soft. I see the milk and flour mixture as a thick pudding, added to butter. Was the "pudding" mixture thick? It should be quite thick. If you live in a warm climate room temperature may be too warm for the butter. That's the only thing that comes to mind. And if the pudding mixture was thick and cold. Happy baking and good luck!

Unknown said...

Oooohhhhh boy.... Am I ever happy that I came across your blog!! I can essentially close my Pinterest account and find amazing recipes on your site! I just took the cupcakes out of the oven and I've made the frosting and I can hardly contain myself from dunking a warm cupcake into the frosting and devouring it!! Even though I have yet to bite into those succulent cupcakes, I can just tell that they are going to be amazing... just by the way the batter tasted and how they smell. I made these for my Husband's birthday and I know he will love these. I added a bunch of cocoa to the icing since he requested chocolate frosting and I prefer the chocolate frosting to the original frosting ... I know that the recipe is 'not too sweet frosting', but I think I may add a little bit of sugar next time. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing all your amazing recipes... I'm so excited to try so many of them!

Unknown said...

Does this have any special storing requirements because of the milk and sour cream?

How long can they be left out?

The Alchemist said...

Lisa - Yay! I'm so glad you liked them!

Kathryn - You can leave them out for a day or two. Even though there is dairy in them it's baked up, so it's stable at room temperature.

The Alchemist said...

Oh, I should add - you can leave them out unfrosted. If they are frosted I'd only leave them out a few hours at a time because of the milk in the frosting.

Unknown said...

Since the milk is cooked into the frosting how come it is not safe to use as well??

Also, have you heard about any success with this recipe and cake flour.

Lee said...

Hi Melissa, your cupcake recipes are amazing! Definitely would try this and also the Apple Cupcakes! But I was just wondering if I could use cooked flour to thicken up my IMBC, because I'm living in a warm and humid country, and it melts easily. At the same time, I don't fancy using shortening as a butter substitute as it has a greasy after-taste. Would appreciate your reply. Thank you. :)

The Alchemist said...

Hi Lee, I'm sorry I don't know the answer. This frosting is thickened with flour, so I'm a little confused about the question.

I'm so glad you like my cupcakes, thank you!

Melissa

The Alchemist said...

Kathryn Savitz - The way I look at the frosting is that it's a pudding base, with butter added to make a buttercream. I don't feel safe leaving pudding made with milk out for a long period of time. That's my take on it.

A baked good is totally transformed from it's original state, so it's somehow different. In my mind, anyway.

If you use cake flour then I would omit the cornstarch and substitute it with more cake flour, since cake flour is just flour mixed with cornstarch.

Unknown said...

Nice Cakes looks so yummy .Thanks for sharing.

Cake Delivery Services

Radeth said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Marybeth said...

Is there anything you can substitute in these if you don't have cornstarch?

The Alchemist said...

Marybeth - No, not really. You can use all cake flour if you have cake flour. Add the amount of the flour in the recipe plus the cornstarch. So if you omit the cornstarch you could use 2 3/4 cup cake flour. Cornstarch is what helps make them fluffy. I don't know of anything else that provides that texture. Cake flour is just flour mixed with cornstarch, that's why you can substitute that.

Unknown said...

Hi-
Can I omit the egg yolks or maybe use 2 whole eggs and 3-4 egg whites? I need the cake to be very white. I will be adding colors like blue and green later so I want the batter as white as possible to keep my cool colors true. I know most white cake recipes omit egg whites but I was hoping to use yours.

Unknown said...

Hmmmm! These cupcakes look like a delight! I so love the colors and they are so mouthwatering, so tempting to look at. May i grab some? LOL.

Feel free drop by and check out my recipes too :)

Happy Blogging.
Sarah @
{ Yummy Recipes }

The Alchemist said...

Cathy - You can try to do that. I don't know, because I've never done it. But it seems like it should work fine.

Good luck!

Anonymous said...

I just tried this recipe and oh my gosh! It taste SO good - officially my favorite cupcake recipe! Thank you so much for sharing

Unknown said...

Exclusive information. Thanks for sharing.


Buy cakes online

The Mom Spot said...

Hi, soooo i made this recipe today i was so excited because i usually look for recipes that i know the cupcakes are going to come out super moist and delicious... but when i took them out of the oven they just i guess you could say deflated, they just sunk. Im not sure where i went wrong im pretty sure i followed the recipe to a tee and then that happens. Did that happen to you when you first made them?? please help

The Alchemist said...

Jennifer Castaneda - I'm sorry you had problems with the recipe. It sounds like they needed to be baked longer. If you try the recipe again, I suggest baking them a few more minutes. Use a toothpick to do a test to see if they are done in the center. I've never had this problem with this recipe, and never heard of anyone else having the issue either.
Good luck and happy baking!

Unknown said...

These cupcakes look divine!

Simone said...

Hi! I am so disappointed :( I found this recipe and made them for my daughter's birthday in July and they were SENSATIONAL!!! Now I have discovered that my daughter and I may be gluten intolerant and I won't be able to eat them ever again without the nasty side effects. Do you have any tips for me regarding modifying this recipe to be gluten-free, or am I just hoping for too much?? By the way, if there were ever a cupcake that would entice me to eat gluten, this is it!!

دانة أبوعيشة said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
دانة أبوعيشة said...

Hi, my name is Dana AbuAisheh. I LOVED UR RECIPE
Am a beginner in blogging and I have a blog in Arabic:
Www.shawkawskina.blogspot.com
I tried those cupcakes many times and they're great! I would like to use it to bake a cake instead. Would there be any variations that I should make?

Again thank u for the recipe :)

Unknown said...

wow, these look so pretty.

would you prefer this frosting over your swiss buttercream frosting? which would be easier to make?

Elizabeth said...

Hi there!

Can I fold sprinkles into this batter to make funfetti cupcakes? :)

The Alchemist said...

Simone - I feel your pain. I'm pretty much all gluten free now as well. Gluten free baking is a lot different than regular. The same "tricks" don't work, or I should say haven't worked for me. So I'm sorry I can't be of more help. You could try and exchange a gf flour blend for the flour and see what happens. If you do, I'd be curious of the results, so please let me know if you do. Thanks!

Dana AbuAisheh - I'm so glad you liked them! You can definitely make them into a cake. Just make sure you grease the pans well, and bake it for about the same time you would for another similar size cake. Good luck and happy baking!

Not Just Desserts Yummy Goodies - This frosting is definitely easier to make. I probably like the Swiss Buttercream better, but this one is a close second. It really gets rave reviews from others too. I make it often. Happy Baking!

Elizabeth - Sure, I don't see why not. I've never done it, but it should work fine.

Unknown said...

Hi Melissa. You are simply awesome! Is there a simple way I could transform this recipe into a Pineapple flavored cupcake...maybe as simple as just adding pineapple juice and eliminate the almond extract?- Shelly

The Alchemist said...

Boo Billy - I don't think this is the right recipe for a pineapple cupcake. I wouldn't start here. I would do some kind of variation of my pink velvet cupcakes (which is really just strawberry cupcakes.) That recipe has strawberry puree in it, and I would substitute fresh pineapple puree instead of the strawberry puree.

In my experience pineapple juice alone won't flavor a cupcake, and you can't add enough of it to get the flavor you need.

I hope that helps.

Also I have a recipe for pineapple upside down cakes on this site that you can make into a cupcake. If you don't like cardamom you could leave it out.

That recipe is here

http://alchemybaking.blogspot.com/2011/04/individual-pineapple-upside-down-cakes.html

Monty said...

Most beautiful cupcakes!

Do you think I could substitute applesauce for the vegetable oil? I oft do so with other cake recipes and always with box cake mixes. Thank you!

Unknown said...

Loved this butter cream recipe.used it for saffron macaron filling flavoring with cardamon.

carol said...

Do you know if I can double the cake and frosting recipe for good results? I have to make 75 cupcakes and doubling the recipe would be a life saver. Thanks! carol

Unknown said...

Hi! I love your recipe! Can i use food coloring like gel paste for the frosting? Thanks!

Miyuki@With These Hands said...

I just stumbled upon your blog and made these cupcakes! I had to have one while it was warm and hands down they where the best! Sadly, the bottom did brown a it�� but they are still delicious! I'll need to either move the rack up, use another tray under the pans or lower the temp a bit next time. I'm waiting for the frosting base to cool so I can make the frosting. Can't wait to try them! Oh I also used vanilla bean paste instead of extract turned out just like if I used beans but without the hassle! I think cooking is a art form but baking is science and love recipes with measurement such as grams and ml ! Thank you!

Y. M. Sargent said...

Even with the print-friendly button it still leaves a lot of the information and prints a great deal. I just copied and pasted to a document and deleted down to the recipe and instructions.

These do look great! About to give them a try.

JLo said...

I just made these cupcakes but I folded 2 cups diced strawberries in at the end. (Made them even more moist!) Then topped them with cream cheese frosting... Amazing!! Thanks for the recipe!

Unknown said...

This is such a fantastic recipe! And the photos look absolutely yummy!

Unknown said...

Hi Melissa, thank you for your beautiful recipes. These cupcakes are gorgeous. I have made them twice and love them. I am wondering if I could add some lemon juice and zest to the recipe? Do you think that would work? Thank you again, Suzie

The Alchemist said...

Suzannah Rowley - I'm so glad you like the cupcakes! You can definitely add lemon zest, but if you add too much lemon juice, or any liquid for that matter, it will affect the consistency of them, I wouldn't recommend adding too much lemon juice. Additionally, you need a lot of lemon juice for the lemon flavor to come through, so I'm hesitant to recommend it. I do have a lemon cupcake recipe on this site, it's here

http://alchemybaking.blogspot.com/2013/03/really-moist-lemon-cupcakes-for-lemon.html

Good luck and happy baking!

Unknown said...

Hi Melissa😊 Thank you for the reply. I did an unexpected back flip and ended up baking your pink velvet cupcakes anf wow! They are incredible! You really truly are The Alchemist because they are so light, fluffy and moist! They also look incredible. I'm going to bake your lemon cupcakes next (thanks for the link) and a heartfelt thank you for your wonderful blog, recipes and contribution to the culinary world! All the next to you from me on Australia! xx

Debi said...

After frosting the cupcakes how long can they sit out without affecting the texture of the frosting. I ask because they will be sitting on a buffet table at a baby shower and I don't want the frosting to soften too much but I also don't want to have to leave them in the refrigerator so long that they are still cool when served. Thanks for the recipe - I am excited to try it this weekend.

The Alchemist said...

Hi Debi - I would only leave them out for a few hours. So I take them out of the fridge maybe an hour before you serve them. I don't leave them out too long since I consider this frosting like a pudding, and milk based.

I hope that helps!

Happy Baking!

Melissa @ The Alchemist

abeemike said...

hi melissa! i cant wait yo make this recipe and hope it will turn out great. do you think i can use this recipe and frosting to make a doll cake? I'm thinking of layering 3-4 stacks of 6-7 inch cake then color the frosting to match the dress of the doll.

Christcl said...

Can I half this recipe?

dheerani said...

Thank you alchemist. This recipe has been a godsend. I hope you don't mind that I have included my variation and experimentation with it below.

This has become my go to recipe over the past three years and I have made it numerous times especially my preferred lemon variation. The trick is cooking the base to the point that the base sticks to the whisk and forms a soft dough like material.I have added up to 3 tbsp of lemon juice to my icing and it still held up. Though I reduce the butter by a third. That makes it lighter and the fat less likely to separate because of the lemon. I mix it all in a food processor using solid cold butter and a pinch of yellow food colour.

Recently tried a chocolate version where I just used 2.5 tbsp coco powder along with vanilla essence. And still used reduced butter by a third because I am used to the flavour and I was short on it. Infact I have used butter reduced to half too when I didn't have some but then it didn't stand up well, drooping. However reduced by a third holds form well.

I use the icing for everything including chocolate cake. It freezes flawlessly. I just ice my cake and stick in the freezer. Put it on the table just 15 min before people est since its humid hot and defrosting is rapid. And it did not melt away on my buffet table even just refrigerated.

Its all about the dough like base. If there is not much water in the base it has space to hold the lemon juice. And with reduced butter its the base holding it up.

dheerani said...

Thank you alchemist. This recipe has been a godsend. I hope you don't mind that I have included my variation and experimentation with it below.

This has become my go to recipe over the past three years and I have made it numerous times especially my preferred lemon variation. The trick is cooking the base to the point that the base sticks to the whisk and forms a soft dough like material.I have added up to 3 tbsp of lemon juice to my icing and it still held up. Though I reduce the butter by a third. That makes it lighter and the fat less likely to separate because of the lemon. I mix it all in a food processor using solid cold butter and a pinch of yellow food colour.

Recently tried a chocolate version where I just used 2.5 tbsp coco powder along with vanilla essence. And still used reduced butter by a third because I am used to the flavour and I was short on it. Infact I have used butter reduced to half too when I didn't have some but then it didn't stand up well, drooping. However reduced by a third holds form well.

I use the icing for everything including chocolate cake. It freezes flawlessly. I just ice my cake and stick in the freezer. Put it on the table just 15 min before people est since its humid hot and defrosting is rapid. And it did not melt away on my buffet table even just refrigerated.

Its all about the dough like base. If there is not much water in the base it has space to hold the lemon juice. And with reduced butter its the base holding it up.

dheerani said...

I took my cupcakes on a 5 hour road trip in the summer heat as a present and the icing held.

dheerani said...

You can. It would work well. I have made in various colours. On cakes and cupcakes. Its fun.

dheerani said...

You can. It would work well. I have made in various colours. On cakes and cupcakes. Its fun.

Lovenana said...

What I love about this recipe is that I don't even have a mixer I use a whisk and it always turns out fantastic.i tried with buttermilk once Co's I had no yoghurt it was too soft and falls apart

Lovenana said...

What I love about this recipe is that I don't even have a mixer I use a whisk and it always turns out fantastic.i tried with buttermilk once Co's I had no yoghurt it was too soft and falls apart

Rida Zahir said...

Hi I tried your chocolate cupcakes and loved them. They were the best I've ever made. So moist and fluffy. This is next on my list. Just wondering if you need baking soda along with the baking powder. As sour cream is acidic.
Also why is the oven temperature different for chocolate and white cakes. Is there any reason

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