What Is Your Best Moist Vanilla Cupcake Recipe?
Baking By SUNSHINEMOLLY Updated 15 Oct 2017 , 8:42pm by funzo
This is my favorite:
http://www.marthastewart.com/255457/billys-vanilla-vanilla-cupcakes
Billy's is a famous bakery in NYC. This is so good that you can eat it and enjoy it without frosting.
I'm going to give this a go - I like my vanilla recipe, but always happy to try new ones! Did you make it with the 2 types of flour? Do you think if I made it with all AP flour, it would be ok?
Glad those that I tried my cuppy recipe and liked it! It is my base so, I tweak it with different flavors and extras as needed (my fav is to add vanilla bean). Would love to hear what little extra things were added...always looking for inspiration!
This doesn't help with the moist issue, but whenever I bake a vanilla cake I also scrape in the seeds from a vanilla bean. It takes the flavor way beyond anything extract alone can do. It makes it a true flavor rather than just plain cake like many people seem to consider vanilla.
This is what I use and, always get rave reviews:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350.
Cream butter, sugar, and eggs together until fluffy. Add vanilla.
Combine dry ingredients (and I sift) into a bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add the milk. Once mixed, add remaining dry ingredients.
Scoop into cupcake tins (best is about 3/4 full) and bake for 20-25 mins at 350. Let cool.
Made these cupcakes and love the taste and texture.
I did have a couple of problems though, maybe someone come help. I evenly divided the batter between 12 liners but either the recipe does not make 12 or the batter does not rise enough as the cupcakes did not reach the top of the liners (baking powder was brand new), perhaps another tsp of baking powder??
The cupcakes did have a crispy top to them as some others have mentioned.
I must get an oven thermometer as mine were definitely cooked by 14mins, perhaps even a few mins before.
I will definitely be making these again, but should i increase the baking powder or just make an extra half quantity of batter?
Joanna, its interesting you should say that - I've used the Hummingbird Bakery recipe and it states it makes 12, and I only ever get 9 out of it. I'm in the UK, and I'm wondering if a UK "cup" measurement is different from a US "cup" measurement. I'm sure I saw different cups somewhere, but can't think where now.
Hmm, that is odd. It definitely makes a perfect 12 cupcakes for me:
You know what I just thought about Joanna...you mentioned you only baked it about 14 minutes. I wonder if your oven temp is higher than it states and, me thinks by baking faster, they have less time to rise?? Maybe next time you do a batch, bake off a few cupcakes at a time and, try setting at 300 degrees, 325 degrees etc. and see if you get varying results in the rise.
I would really like to hear what things have been added to SweetSuzieQ's recipe.
I made 2 different batches last night with slight adjustments. I am not a scratch bake normally and am practicing. I know that there is a difference in taste and texture that I just need to get used to as being scratch - but my cupcakes seemed to have a "flour" taste. I tried more vanilla in the second batch and it was a little better. I am picking up some Vanilla Paste today and was thinking about trying it with cake flour. I loved the consistency and how perfect they looked. Is it just something I am not used to?
I haven't doubled it as I usually just mix and bake one batch at a time (only one tray) but, I can't see why it wouldn't.
Jessica, I used to find that "flour" taste when I first started scratch baking because I didn't bother sifting and/or scraping down the bowl. I don't know what it was ... the sifting, scraping (which lead to not overmixing) but, as soon as I started doing that faithfully, I have never had a baked good that tasted "floury"
I was careful to sift and I think I got it all scraped and mixed in....I'm not giving up - they look too good! oh, and is there really no salt in this recipe?
Joanna, its interesting you should say that - I've used the Hummingbird Bakery recipe and it states it makes 12, and I only ever get 9 out of it.
I'm in the UK, and I'm wondering if a UK "cup" measurement is different from a US "cup" measurement. I'm sure I saw different cups somewhere, but can't think where now.
WeeSooz -
yes - there is a differance in the American imperial and our (Australian & UK) Metric measurements.
Here is a link for you - shows from Cups to Spoons and even oven temps.
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/equiv.htm
This is also an excellant link - for when you want to convert an American recipe into Metric quantities.
http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/tools.measures/Measures.cfm
Hope this helps you
Bluehue
Joanna, its interesting you should say that - I've used the Hummingbird Bakery recipe and it states it makes 12, and I only ever get 9 out of it. I'm in the UK, and I'm wondering if a UK "cup" measurement is different from a US "cup" measurement. I'm sure I saw different cups somewhere, but can't think where now.
Weesooz UK measurements are not the same as US measurements in baking as well as cooking. But, in cooking you can get away with a bit more or less of this and that, without fear of the recipe not working. Baking you need to be close if not spot on.
check the links.
http://uktv.co.uk/food/stepbystep/aid/574225
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_weights_and_measures
Also a link to an article from Rose Levy Beranbaum on using British Flour versus US flour. She found, while experimenting with her recipes in the UK, that Brit flour does not work the same as US AP flour.
http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2006/07/crossing_the_atlantic_by_cookb.html
HTH
You know what I just thought about Joanna...you mentioned you only baked it about 14 minutes. I wonder if your oven temp is higher than it states and, me thinks by baking faster, they have less time to rise?? Maybe next time you do a batch, bake off a few cupcakes at a time and, try setting at 300 degrees, 325 degrees etc. and see if you get varying results in the rise.
You were right, my oven is baking 20'C hotter than what it states on the dial - so grateful to my new oven thermometer 
I made a batch and a half and it made a perfect 16 cupcakes I will be using this recipe again.
I haven't had success adapting recipes from cupcakes to cakes or vice versa. I think the timing is different. Usually middle gets under or over cooked. Here's another link for everyone: http://www.fasteasyrecipe.com/recipes/cake
You know what I just thought about Joanna...you mentioned you only baked it about 14 minutes. I wonder if your oven temp is higher than it states and, me thinks by baking faster, they have less time to rise?? Maybe next time you do a batch, bake off a few cupcakes at a time and, try setting at 300 degrees, 325 degrees etc. and see if you get varying results in the rise.
You were right, my oven is baking 20'C hotter than what it states on the dial - so grateful to my new oven thermometer
I made a batch and a half and it made a perfect 16 cupcakes
I will be using this recipe again.
YAY!! Glad you got it figured out!!! 
I just did a variation on this base recipe and made coconut cream cupcakes that were TOO DIE FOR!
ummm HELLO...Magnolia bakery's vanilla butter cake recipe...yummmmm
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