usa cupcakes
chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with red, white, and blue vanilla buttercream frosting
baked in July 2015
yield: 12 chocolate cupcakes and
12 vanilla cupcakes
prep time: 40 minutes
cook time: 14/18 minutes
difficulty level: easy
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil (melted coconut oil works too)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 3/4 cups sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 8 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Salt, to taste
- Red and blue food coloring
- Sprinkles
Directions
For the chocolate cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Whisk the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until completely smooth.
- Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk - about 5 stirs. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until *just* combined; do not overmix. The batter will be a little thin.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners - fill only halfway to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake in batches for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the vanilla cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine after each addition.
- Add vanilla, sour cream and almond extract, beating until just combined.
- Reduced the mixer speed to low and stir in the flour in several additions. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir the last bit of flour in with a spatula until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Scoop batter into cupcake liners and bake in preheated oven for 14-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few clinging crumbs.
- Allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
- With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy - about 2 minutes.
- Add confectioners' sugar, cream, and vanilla extract with the mixer running on low.
- Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes.
- Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
- Separate frosting evenly into three separate bowls.
- Add red food coloring to one bowl and blue food coloring to another.
- Frost cooled cupcakes.
Nutrition
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Total calories: 6,037
- Calories per cupcake: 503
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Total calories: 5,938
- Calories per cupcake: 495
