The Perfect Cupcake {My Favorite Dessert to Share}

Of all the recipes I've been asked to share over the years, this is the one I've shared the most.  I use this delicious cake recipe for birthday cakes that I bake for my family, but it works beautifully for cupcakes, and they are my go-to treat for gatherings with family and friends.   I posted about this a few years back, but decided to do a separate post with instructions for cupcakes, since the alternative is rather complicated, confusing conversation. "Go to my cake post, then half it.  Then half the frosting recipe, but double the powdered sugar" confusing.  This is much clearer!

For those of you who have never tried these, you will never need another white cake recipe.  If you make them, you'll find these cupcakes to be light and fluffy, yet they are moist and dense and just perfect.

If you use the 1/4 cup batter guideline, you'll make between 24-32 cupcakes with this recipe. I prefer using white batter, white liners, and white frosting, and then let the sprinkles or topper do the talking.  It's simple, but I love the way it looks.  

Everyone always comments on how they couldn't frost cupcakes that look this way, but the truth is, it's incredibly easy AND it's faster than hand-frosting each one with a knife.  Simply use a Wilton 1M tip (instructions below), and absolutely anyone can create picture perfect cupcakes that taste incredible too.  Yes, you can too!

White Almond Sour Cream Cupcakes:

[This is the recipe for approximately 2 dozen cupcakes, for more information on layer cakes, go to my cake post HERE]  Modified from the original recipe found HERE ]

Ingredients:

1 box white cake mix (Betty Crocker or Pillsbury are recommended)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups water
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
2 teaspoon almond extract (do not omit this ingredient, as it gives the cupcakes amazing flavor!)
1 cup sour cream
4 large egg whites

Directions:

• Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together with a wire whisk.
• Add the remaining ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Fill cupcake liners with 1/4 cup of batter
• Lightly tap cupcake pans on counter to bring air bubbles to top.
• Bake in preheated 325° F oven until cupcakes test done (in my oven that's 20 minutes).  Cupcakes will be brown on the bottom, but may still be white on top, so keep an eye on your cupcakes and test when they look like they've firmed up.  Use your nose and monitor your cupcakes closely, because if they're browned on top, they're likely overdone, which means a dry cupcake.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting:

You can use your favorite buttercream or chocolate frosting recipe, just be sure it is a dense frosting that holds its shape when piped, if you plan to decorate your cupcakes as shown above.   I like to use Ina Garten's Cream Cheese Frosting recipe, but for only 24 cupcakes, I will half this recipe and use about twice as much powdered sugar so that it has more of a traditional butter cream consistency.   It's a very forgiving recipe, and with the vanilla and almond extracts, the flavor is wonderful!
With a Wilton 1M tip, you can achieve the look above with ease, by simply putting frosting in your piping bag and working from the outside to the inside of your cupcake in a swirling motion (like soft serve ice cream going into a cone!).  Wilton shows the step-by-step technique HERE
but I use far less frosting than they do.

Top cupcakes with frosting, then immediately add sprinkles, fresh berries, or a festive topper, and serve on your favorite platter (the one shown is from Old Town Imports)  Yours will be the first to disappear from your neighborhood potluck or school bake sale.  Promise!

And proof that these are my go-to dessert:

 

 

And just for the record, these tops are too brown :)