Vanilla Cupcakes with Pop Rocks

Posted by Raissa Nebie on February 1, 2010 | No Comments

Looks like the Fierce and Sweet bake-off win was the ego booster I needed to morph into a baking enthusiast. Up until then, I used to think that baking was an activity better left in the hands of the likes of Pierre Herme, Gaston Lenotre and Francois Payard. But after a series of successful experiments, I can say that I now fancy baking cakes. So for my friend’s birthday, I decided to surprise her with cupcakes. Since she likes simple flavors, I opted for vanilla cupcakes. This recipe has become my go-to recipe for cupcakes. Every now and then, I ditch the vanilla extract for amaretto, but the proportions remain the same.

VANILLA CUPCAKES
12 cupcakes liners
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line the cupcake tins with cupcake liners.

Cream the butter until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl a couple of times

Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Allow each each to be fully incorporated before adding the next one. Mix in the vanilla.

Sift the remaining dry ingredients together and add to the batter in 3 parts, alternating with the milk. Start and finish with the dry ingredients, but do not overmix.

Scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.

Evenly spoon the batter into the cupcake liners.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.