Yellow Cupcakes
This recipe creates classic yellow cupcakes with a tender crumb, topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting. It emphasizes proper technique, such as creaming butter and sugar and gently folding in egg whites, to ensure a light and fluffy texture. Perfect for celebrations or a delightful treat, these cupcakes offer a harmonious balance of rich vanilla cake and tangy-sweet frosting, finished with colorful sprinkles.
Equipment
- 1 Standing Mixer with paddle and whisk attachments
- 1 Muffin Pan with 12 paper liners
- 3 Mixing Bowls small, medium, and large
- 1 Rubber Spatula for scraping and folding
- 1 Palette Knife or offset spatula for frosting
Ingredients
Main
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour sifted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup milk at room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs at room temperature, separated
- Cream Cheese Frosting recipe follows, or about 2 cups frosting of your choice
- Colorful sprinkles
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream at room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
Instructions
- Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line the muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
- In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Raise the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula.)
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and vanilla, and also set aside.
- Add the egg yolks to the creamed butter one at time, waiting for each one to be fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Alternately, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, waiting for each to be fully incorporated before adding the next (scrape the bowl down occasionally). Raise the speed to medium and mix briefly until a smooth batter is formed. Transfer the batter to a large bowl.
- Thoroughly clean the bowl of the mixer and put the egg whites inside. Whip the egg whites on high speed, using the whisk attachment, until stiff peaks are formed.
- Working in 3 batches, using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter, until just incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the cups in the muffin pan. Bake, rotating the pan once, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and cool completely.
- Using a palette knife or rubber, spread some of the frosting all over the tops of the cakes and decorate with the sprinkles.
Notes
Ensure all cold ingredients, especially butter, eggs, and milk, are at room temperature. This is crucial for achieving a smooth, emulsified batter and light, fluffy creamed butter and sugar. Sifting cake flour helps create a tender crumb. When folding in the whipped egg whites, be gentle and work in batches to preserve the airiness, which contributes significantly to the cupcakes' light texture. Avoid overmixing the batter once the flour is incorporated, as this develops gluten and can lead to tough cupcakes. Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting. For enhanced flavor, consider using a high-quality vanilla extract or adding a touch of almond extract. A pinch of orange zest in the cream cheese frosting brightens the flavor profile beautifully.