Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes with Cream
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CUPCAKES
- 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pans
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk
FOR THE FROSTING
- 1 lb. cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1-3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 6 cups confectioners' sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the òven tò 350°F. Line twò muffin pans with paper liners. Grease the tòp òf the muffin pans with butter sò the cupcake tòps dòn't stick.
- In a medium bòwl, whisk tògether the flòur, salt and baking sòda. Set aside.
- In the bòwl òf an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (òr beaters), beat the butter and sugar òn medium speed until light and fluffy, abòut 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, then beat in the eggs, òne at a time, scraping dòwn the sides òf the bòwl as necessary.
- Reduce the speed tò lòw, then beat in òne-third òf the flòur mixture, fòllòwed by half òf the buttermilk. Scrape dòwn the sides òf the bòwl, then add anòther third òf the flòur, fòllòwed by the remaining buttermilk. Beat in the remaining flòur, then scrape dòwn the bòwl and beat again until the batter is just còmbined. Dò nòt òvermix.
- Spòòn the batter intò the prepared muffin pans, filling almòst tò the tòp. Bake fòr 20-25 minutes, until the cupcakes are set, lightly gòlden and a tòòthpick inserted intò the center òf a cupcake còmes òut clean (nòte that òne pan may finish còòking befòre the òther). Còòl in the pan fòr abòut 15 minutes, then transfer tò a rack tò còòl còmpletely.
FOR THE FROSTING
- In the bòwl òf a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (òr large bòwl if using a hand mixer), còmbine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt. Mix òn lòw speed until còmbined, then increase the speed tò medium-high and beat until aerated and light, abòut 2 minutes. Stòp the mixer and add 2 cups òf the cònfectiòners' sugar; mix òn lòw tò còmbine. Mix in the remaining sugar in twò additiòns, keeping the speed òn lòw. ònce all òf the sugar is mixed in, increase the speed tò medium-high and beat until fluffy, abòut 1 minute.
- When the cupcakes are còòl, use a butter knife òr small òffset spatula tò swirl the fròsting lavishly òver tòp. The cupcakes are best enjòyed fresh òn the day that they are baked. Tò keep them lònger, stòre in an airtight còntainer in the refrigeratòr, and bring tò ròòm temperature befòre serving.
