Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Cupcakes! › ISO a great scratch vanilla cupcake recipe..
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

ISO a great scratch vanilla cupcake recipe..

post #1 of 13
11/1/08 at 8:08pm
Thread Starter 
Looking through the big thread is such a daunting task.. so I figured I'd ask in a new thread.

I have a nice vanilla butter cake recipe, but it doesn't translate to cupcakes very well. It shrinks up too much and makes them look odd. My chocolate cuppies look great.. but the vanilla.. not so much.

I have tried the Magnolia Bakery recipe, but found it to be lacking that special something. Does anyone have a scratch recipe tha makes a vanilla cupcake that doesn't shrink up?

While I know there are many dr'd mix recipes that would work, I am only looking for scratch recipes as that is all I use in my business. icon_smile.gif

Thank you for any thoughts and guidance..
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 13
11/2/08 at 5:17am
Hi icon_smile.gif

I've made the Whimsical Bakehouse vanilla cupcakes and they are quite good. They were a big hit with my co-workers. If you don't have it, I'm posting the recipe below. Also, I've read wonderful things about Billy's bakery vanilla cupcakes, and they are next on my list to try! (here's the link http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/billys-vanilla-vanilla-cupcakes). Hope that helps!

Whimsical bakehouse vanilla cupcakes

Line a 12 cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Preheat oven to 350F.

Sift into mixing bowl:
1 3/4 cup + 2 TBS cake flour
3/4 tsp salt

Add and mix to combine:
1 cup sugar

Add
1/2 cup + 2 1/2 tsp warmed milk (110F)
2 large eggs
4 ozs very soft unsalted butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Beat at low speed with wire whisk attachment for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl. Raise the speed to med-low and beat for 1 1/2 min.

Add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder. Mix at low speed for 30 sec. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full and Bake 18-20 min or until golden. The top should spring back when lightly pressed.

Yields 12 cupcakes
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 13
11/2/08 at 12:06pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you very much for the suggestions. icon_smile.gif
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 13
11/3/08 at 11:06am
Billy's Vanilla Vanilla (from the Martha Stewart website) are my vanilla stand-by. And they are actually even better the day after they're baked!
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 13
11/5/08 at 9:34am
Here is my favorite:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-4313-Vanilla-Butter-Cake-from-The-Mermaid-Bakery.html
No longer baking and caking. Medical transcriptionist and Thirty-One Gifts independent consultant.
Reply
No longer baking and caking. Medical transcriptionist and Thirty-One Gifts independent consultant.
Reply
post #6 of 13
11/5/08 at 1:04pm
I've done the Billy Vanilla Cupcakes & they were a big hit. I was really pleased with them. Didn't care for the Magnolia Vanilla Cake. Didn't really have much taste IMHO.
http://www.catherinespears.com
Reply
http://www.catherinespears.com
Reply
post #7 of 13
11/6/08 at 2:27am
thanks jkalman for posting the question, as i too, was ISO a great vanilla cupcake recipe.

however, may i know, would the taste or quality of the cupcakes be affected if i were to use salted butter & omit the salt called in the recipe? where i live, unsalted butter isn't easy to find.

thanks...
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 13
11/6/08 at 3:18am
Thread Starter 
That should be more than fine mclaren.. I usually add more salt than is called for anyway. I'll make is by the book once and then see if it needs any adjustments.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 13
11/8/08 at 8:56am
Thread Starter 
Okay.. I just baked Billy's recipe and I have the Mermaid bakery recipe in the oven right now. So far Billy's recipe is great.. they didn't shrink up on me much at all.. just a teeny bit which is normal for any cake. I'll give you my analysis after they have cooled. icon_biggrin.gif
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 13
11/8/08 at 9:46am
Thread Starter 
Okay.. in a side by side comparison of just the cupcake with no frosting.. I'd have to say that Billy'd recipe has the advantage. It baked up with a slight dome whereas the Mermaid Bakery recipe was quite flat. The texture of Billy's recipe was nicer as well and it held up better to being sliced in 1/2. Flavor-wise they were pretty close. The Mermaid recipe has less flour over all so it was more buttery tasting than Billy's, but I liked the flavor of Billy's very much too. For the overall score I'd say that Billy's recipe is the winner in my book.

I took some pictures so you could see.. on the left is the mermaid bakery recipe and on the right is Billy's recipe.

edited to fix which side was which.. icon_redface.gif
LL
LL
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 13
11/8/08 at 10:17am
How cool! Thanks for posting...it is so neat to see the cupcakes in cross section like that. Now I want to make them!
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 13
11/8/08 at 11:34am
I have been looking for a great scratch white cake recipe too, and found an awesome one yesterday. I like cakes that use oil, and not butter or shortening so it was hard to find, but this one is great! I just baked some up with vanilla and a little coconut extract, and Oh my goodness!

Here's the link where you can print it off:

http://southernfood.about.com/od/yellowandwhitecakes/r/bl01018d.htm

( I omitted the nuts and chocolate chips)

[b]Ingredients:

* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 cup milk
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
* 1 egg
* 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In an 8-inch square baking pan combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In small bowl, whisk together egg and vanilla. Make 2 small wells in the flour mixture; pour oil in one and egg and vanilla mixture in other. Add milk; stir until well mixed. Stir in pecans. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.Sprinkle chocolate chips on warm cake. Let stand 2 minutes then swirl melted chips slightly.


These made perfect cupcakes (a little over a dozen) , but i would probably add an extra egg or two for a layer cake....

I was so impressed it didn't need a mixer!! Very happy camper over here
icon_biggrin.gif [/b]
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 13
11/10/08 at 10:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkalman

Okay.. in a side by side comparison of just the cupcake with no frosting.. I'd have to say that Billy'd recipe has the advantage. It baked up with a slight dome whereas the Mermaid Bakery recipe was quite flat. The texture of Billy's recipe was nicer as well and it held up better to being sliced in 1/2. Flavor-wise they were pretty close. The Mermaid recipe has less flour over all so it was more buttery tasting than Billy's, but I liked the flavor of Billy's very much too. For the overall score I'd say that Billy's recipe is the winner in my book.

I took some pictures so you could see.. on the left is the mermaid bakery recipe and on the right is Billy's recipe.

edited to fix which side was which.. icon_redface.gif



Thank you so much for letting us know about your test.

Can you tell us which one was more moist?
I having such a hard time finding a moist scratch recipe.

I've used Toba's yellow cake and Sylvia W.'s and I love them both
but when I bake them ahead of time (even the day before) for decorating they become extremely dry.
The only way I get them to stay moist is to bake-decorate-and serve the same day, which is pretty much impossible with my schedule.

TIA!
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Cupcakes!
Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Cupcakes! › ISO a great scratch vanilla cupcake recipe..