Vanilla cupcakes – a Hummingbird Bakery Recipe

Whenever I heard the words ‘vanilla cupcakes’ I always thought “ehh boring and not very interesting” But after baking and tasting these vanilla cupcakes, using a recipe from my Hummingbird bakery cakebook, I have been proven so wrong. They are absolutely not just ‘vanilla’. There is so much lovely sweet vanilla flavor and are light and fluffy. Absolutely on top of my cupcake list now.

Sillas has been in school the past 3 months as part of his apprenticeship at an accounting company. And he recently wrote his final thesis – a business plan for a new business, of his own choice. And Sillas’ choice was a cupcake store. I loved the choice and I really enjoyed listening to the process and hearing about the research for the thesis.

For the oral exam we talked about baking a few cupcakes for the teachers. Just for fun, and to bring an extra element to the presentation.

So I baked a batch of these amazing vanilla cupcakes and made cream cheese frosting which I colored light pink and baby blue.

Ingredients;

120g plain flour

140g caster sugar

1 ½ tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

40g unsalted butter, at room temperature

120ml whole milk

1 egg

¼tsp vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean

Frosting ingredients;

300g icing sugar, sifted

50g unsalted butter, at room temperature

125g cream cheese, cold

Food color

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.

Whisk the egg, vanilla extract, seeds from the vanilla bean and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched.

Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

And here’s how you make the frosting;

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed. Now add food color at this point. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 mins.

Spoon or pipe the cream cheese frosting on top of a cold cupcakes.

Enjoy!