Vanilla Cupcakes

Vanilla vs. Chocolate. The big debate. I am totally a chocolate person, but the rest of my family? All vanilla. So when my sister wanted cupcakes, I made these!

These cupcakes are super simple, quick, and delicious! We finished them a little too fast they were so good. I was a bit worried about the cake batter since it was a little lumpy, but it turned out perfect! It tasted like a very moist pound cake. And the vanilla bean buttercream?! It’s light, sweet, and buttery. Perfect.

I have to admit, these cupcakes almost made me change my mind about being a chocolate person…*gasp*. If I had to decide between vanilla and chocolate, I might just pick these cupcakes. 🙂

Vanilla Cupcakes
Adapted from The Brown Eyed Baker
Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp table salt

1/2 stick (4 TB) butter, room temp
1/4 cup coconut oil, room temp
1/2 cup sour cream

1 large egg, room temp
2 large egg yolks, room temp
2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 stick (4 TB) butter, room temp
1/4 cup coconut oil, room temp *
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 TB heavy whipping cream
1/2 of a vanilla bean
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with paper, foil, or silicon liners.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, coconut oil, sour cream, egg and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain.

Divide batter evenly among cups of prepared tin. Bake until cupcake tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 18-22 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from pan and transfer to wire rack; cool cupcakes to room temperature before frosting.

Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whip the butter and coconut oil on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.

Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla bean, extract, and 1 TB whipping cream, mixing until incorporated. If needed, add another tablespoon of the whipping cream. Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.

*If using coconut oil in frosting or cupcake, make sure to use regular coconut oil instead of the virgin or extra virgin. Using virgin coconut oil will create a very coconut-y taste. If you don’t have coconut oil, replacing it with butter is perfectly fine!

Enjoy!