As you might have sensed, I typically opt for simple rather than over-the-top, basic instead of bells-and-whistles. My cooking mantra is to use the very best ingredients, letting their very best flavors shine. So here, find a standard vanilla cupcake that can be frosted with ganache, buttercream, cream cheese icing — or, if you’re my non-sweets-loving son, a quick dusting of confectionary sugar.
Makes 12 standard cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp.) butter, melted
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Grease or line 12 standard muffin cups.
- Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
- In another medium bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the butter. Then add the vanilla.
- Reduce mixing speed. Add half the dry ingredients. Add milk, then the rest of the dry ingredients. Do not overmix the batter.
- Scoop batter into muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full.
- Bake 18 to 20 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in their pan for about 10 minutes, then remove. Cool completely before frosting and decorating.