I've held out on posting this recipe for quite sometime because I was waiting for a chance to have a picture of it with lovely swirled icings on top. But since my big oven is out of action for the last few months I don't think I would have that chance soon enough. So I'll just post the plain cupcake in here to make sure that I won't lose the recipe because this is simply one of the best I have come across.
One thing going for this is that it's an all-in-one-bowl recipe in a Nigella Lawson-esque kinda way. Dump everything in a bowl then beat to mix and presto you've got your cake batter. It can't get any easier than that! I adapted this from my latest favourite Cook's Illustrated's - The New Best Recipe cookbook.
Vanilla Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups [210 g] plain flour
1 cup [200 g] sugar
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup [125 g] unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F. Line a cupcake/muffin pan with paper liners.
- Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and combine well.
- Add all the other ingredients in the bowl and mix with an electric mixer until smooth and well combined.
- Fill the cupcake tin to about 2/3 full and bake for about 20-24 minutes or until a skewer poked in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from pan and cook completely on a wire rack.
- Spread your choice of frosting on top.
