Though rather hesitantly (I’m looking at you, snowstorm from last week), Spring has arrived here in Denver. And so, out have come the Springtime sprinkles from the depths of my sprinkles box to take their rightful place on an assortment of Springtime cakes, cookies and cupcakes. I’ve never been so smitten with seasonal sprinkles before, and if you know me, that’s really saying something.
Sometimes cupcakes disappoint me because they are gone so soon. Portion control, when it comes to dessert, just isn’t something I practice, and cupcakes are all like, “You get two bites of me before I’m gone so ENJOY ME WHILE I LAST.” But these cupcakes are incredibly light and airy, which makes it ok to consume several in one sitting, in my opinion. They’re like little fluffy cake pillows that melt in your mouth with every bite. The frosting is creamy and velvety, and the color of this batch quite frankly tickled me pink. There’s nothing like a classic yellow cupcake sometimes, even if you’re a chocolate-lover at heart, and this recipe proves just that.
Yellow Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 2 large eggs separated
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose floured
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened too room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
For the Frosting:
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
- Food dye/sprinkles optional
Instructions
Directions:
For the Cupcakes:
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pans with 14-16 cupcake liners.
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With an electric mixer, beat 2 egg whites on high speed in a medium bowl until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. They should be light and fluffy.
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In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
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Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy
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Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add in the two egg yolks and the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
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With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients and the milk, alternating little by little. Fold whipped egg whites into cupcake batter. The batter will be smooth, velvety, and slightly thick.
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Spoon batter into cupcake liners filling halfway full. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting:
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In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
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Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.
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Use food dye to get desired color. Put the frosting in a piping bag and pipe onto each cupcake. Top with sprinkles.