Friday, June 27, 2014

perfect vanilla cupcakes with swiss meringue buttercream

The thing about jinxes is that when they have been broken, things do get better.

If you have read my post on Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes, you would know that for the longest time, I've had pretty bad luck with cakes that are made by the method in which sugar and eggs are first beaten before the rest of the ingredients are added.

It got so bad that I avoided this method of cake-making for ages. There is little that is more demoralising than baking batch after batch of little rocks that pretend to be cakes.
Of course, my luck turned when I managed to bake a batch of moist and super flavourful Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes. *salivating*

So I followed up by baking another cupcake using the method.

And I am happy to report that these are the yummiest vanilla cuppies I have ever made. That's really saying something because the recipe for vanilla cupcakes from Primrose bakery that I had shared a while ago was pretty amazing.
But these are beyond amazing! These cupcakes are really moist *love* and go so well with the buttercream.

If you are interested in making some cupcakes this weekend, here's how!

To start, I beat together sugar and eggs until the mixture turned light and fluffy. This is the most important step in the entire process, so please take the time to beat the eggs and sugar well.
Into this, I added oil. I like to use canola oil because it has a neutral flavour but other mild-flavoured oils would work too.
And continued beating.

Finally, I added the flour and buttermilk in the sequence flour-buttermilk-flour-buttermilk-flour, and beat until all the flour had been incorporated.
The very thin and watery batter was ladled into cupcake liners.
And baked.

Once done, they were cooled in the tray for 10-15 minutes before I transferred them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Only when the cupcakes were completely cool did I frost them with my favourite Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
Can you see how moist the cake was? And how lovely the crumbs were?
So in the words of a Singaporean, Go make lah!

Thank you so much for your support! We have a winner for our OXO 3-piece angled measuring cup set! Click on the photo to see if you are our winner!

RECIPE
Perfect Vanilla Cupcake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream (Makes 15)
Adapted from Natashaskitchen

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups (125g) cake flour or plain flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup (168.7g) sugar
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (125ml) canola oil (vegetable or extra light olive oil also work)
1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350°C (176.6°C) and line a cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners.
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set flour mix aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 2 eggs and sugar on medium speed (3-4 minutes).
3. Add vanilla and oil and beat on medium speed.
4. Reduce mixer speed to medium/low and slowly add the flour and buttermilk in the sequence flour-buttermilk-flour-buttermilk-flour.
5. Beat until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl. The batter should be thin.
6. Pour batter into a lined muffin pan. Fill to about 1/2 full.
7. Bake for 12 -14 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then remove.

I am linking this post to Little Thumbs Up, hosted by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids, Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and Jozelyn of Spice Up My Kitchen.



6 comments:

  1. Diana, I've got to try this method for making cupcakes. And oh my, look at that pretty pink butttercream! I want to lick my screen hah...hah....

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    1. Hi Phong Hong, this is such a great method!! Do try soon :)

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  2. Hi Diana, I'm quite bad in frosting cakes or cupcakes .. lovely pretty cupcakes you've made ^-^ !

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    1. Hi Karen, thanks for stopping by! I was also really bad at frosting but I kept at it so I am a bit better now. You can too!! :D

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