Vanilla Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

No matter how many types of cupcakes our team has baked, or tried, we always fall back onto one, Vanilla Cupcakes. There is just something special about this simple, light and fluffy cakes that makes us want more. Paired with smooth dark chocolate frosting, perfect for an any day treat!

Furthermore, they are so simple to bake and decorate!

Here's how we do it...

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe (Makes 12-15 cupcakes)

1 1/4 cups cake flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup Canola oil (or any other vegetable oil that does not have a strong smell/flavor)

1/2 cup buttermilk

(or 1/2 cup normal milk plus 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice, keep aside for 5mins before using)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. 
2. In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with whisk, and set aside. 
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs and beat 10-20 seconds. Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and oil, beat till combined. 
4. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add half of the milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk. Beat until just combined. Scrap down the side of the bowl. 
5. The batter will be thin. Pour batter into a muffin pan prepared with paper liners. Fill liners about 2/3 full. 
6. Bake cupcakes in pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes. 
7. Cool in pan 1-2 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan (carefully) and finish cooling on a wire rack. 

Frosting Recipe:

2 3/4 cups icing suger

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

6 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 pieces of dark chocolate, for decoration

Directions:

1. Shift icing sugar and cocoa powder to ensure that there are no lumps.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed till fluffy, about 2 mins.
3. Gradually add shifted sugar&cocoa powder alternating with the heavy cream and vanilla - beat on low speed after each addition. Frost cupcakes when they are cooled - (you can add more sugar if the frosting taste too bitter, or add a little salt if it turns out too sweet)

We frosted ours using a Wilton 1M tip, and added a piece of dark chocolate as decoration.

Hope you will enjoy baking this delicious cupcakes!

Cheers,

Cupcake Pony SG Admin - Aveline