HELP! I need aperfect vanilla cupcae recipe

Hi Helen.  I'm a bit like you - always after that 'extra special' vanilla cupcake.Have tried dozens but always come back to the old favourite basic one, which is to weigh eggs in shells [either three or four, depending on how many you want to do] and then use the same weight in soft butter, caster sugar, s.r. flour, teaspoon of baking powder, teaspoon vanilla essence [or beans scraped from a vanilla pod], and a splash of milk.  

Beat butter until soft, then add caster sugar and mix all together for at least 7 minutes [in stand mixer] or until pale and fluffy with hand mixer, add vanilla, then eggs one at a time along with teaspoon of flour with each egg to prevent curdling.  Fold in rest of flour and stir in milk until you're happy with consistency.

Spoon [or use ice cream scoop] into prepared muffin tins [I usually get about 18-20 from a 4-egg mixture] and bake for about 15-20 minutes in pre-heated oven [180c].

There are loads more recipes out there, but I always come back to this variation as it's simpler, and I never have any complaints.  xx

When I develop recipes I sometimes bake the same one 20-30 times. It might need five minutes less in the oven, five degrees higher temp, 5 grams more baking powder, an entire vanilla pod instead of just half, etc.

Same thing with recipes I try that I find online. Tweak and tweak and tweak.

Trial and error is the only way to find a recipe that you love. And buy a scale and weigh all of your ingredients instead of measuring by volume. Much more consistent that way.

You might try the one on FromScratchSF's blog.  It's a really good vanilla/white cake recipe for both cake and cupcakes.  I tried it and it's now my go-to vanilla recipe for both.  I follow the recipe to the "T" and it comes out perfect every time.

Try www.fromscratchsf.wordpress.com.  Look to the right if the white cake part 3 doesn't come up right away and it'll be there.  You can click on it and it'll take you to the article and the recipe.

Trial and error i would start with some of the recipes here and make them fit your needs... 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godot 

When I develop recipes I sometimes bake the same one 20-30 times. It might need five minutes less in the oven, five degrees higher temp, 5 grams more baking powder, an entire vanilla pod instead of just half, etc.

 

Same thing with recipes I try that I find online. Tweak and tweak and tweak.

^^^ this^^^

except i personally don't have that much patience left   good thing i don't have to test very often these days