Cupcakes are famous for their endless swirls of frosting and their ornate decorations. Unlike muffins, cupcakes are decorated mini cakes presented in individual servings for easy eating.
Thanks to their size and presentation, they are perfect for all types of events and celebrations: birthdays, weddings, children's parties... Not only do they look beautiful on the table, but they also don't require plates or cutlery to eat them, making them the perfect ally for any host.
The best thing about cupcakes is that they look so elaborate, but they're actually very simple to make: all you need is a cupcake pan and a piping bag.
In this recipe, we'll show you how to make cupcakes step by step with a very simple recipe that you can customize to your liking. The base is a yogurt sponge cake to which we added lemon zest, but you can use any cake recipe you like. For the frosting, we recommend our super creamy Philadelphia cheesecake recipe because it holds its shape very well and is less sweet than traditional American buttercream. If you want to decorate cupcakes for a special event or occasion, we'll also explain below how to add color to both the batter and the frosting. We also give you tons of tips at the end of the recipe to help you decorate your cupcakes perfectly.
Don't wait any longer and discover how to make some delicious cupcakes!
Ingredients
With this recipe, you can make 12 super-fluffy cupcakes topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting. Remember, you can customize the flavor of your cupcakes: both the cake and the frosting. We'll answer all your questions below!
How to make vanilla cupcakes
〉To modify the FLAVOR: add lemon or orange zest, cocoa powder, a teaspoon of vanilla, coffee or almond essence, etc.
To change the color: you can use a few drops of food coloring or a tablespoon of natural fruit paste. Keep in mind that EVOO gives the dough a yellow hue, so the colors will change slightly when you add it to the dough. The artificial colorings that guarantee the best results are those from Americolor. If you prefer to use natural colorings, Home Chef fruit pastes are your best option.
〉You can heat it10 seconds in the microwave or leave ita couple of minutes on top of the radiator to soften it.
〉 You can color your frosting by adding natural food coloring or fruit pastes, which provide both color and flavor. It's best to start with small amounts and add more if necessary. Keep in mind that too much coloring can affect the texture of the frosting, making it grainier.
〉Seriously, don't try to decorate them beforehand even if you're in a hurry, or else see what happens when you don't wait and google Pinstrosities.
How to flavor cupcakes?
To flavor a cupcake, you can add lemon or orange zest, cocoa powder, a teaspoon of vanilla, coffee, or almond essence, etc. to the batter .
If you want to flavor the frosting , you can use the same ingredients, but be careful with the quantities because some essences can alter the frosting's texture. Citrus zest can give the frosting an undesirable texture, so it's better to use lemon essence or lemon juice directly (it gives a less intense flavor). It's best to add a couple of drops to the cream cheese and check that they're well incorporated before continuing with the frosting preparation.
How to color cupcakes?
If you want to change the color of your cupcake, whether it's the cake or the frosting , you can do so by adding a few drops of food coloring or a tablespoon of natural fruit paste. Keep in mind that EVOO gives the batter a yellow hue, so the colors will change slightly when you add them to the batter. The artificial colorings that guarantee the best results are those from Americolor. If you prefer to use natural colorings, Home Chef fruit pastes are your best option.
What is the best frosting for decorating cupcakes?
If you want to decorate your cupcakes with a thick frosting that allows you to create defined shapes with a piping bag, it's best to use a traditional buttercream. To make it, you'll need:
- 230g softened butter
- 360g of powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons of liquid cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
- Beat the butter with a whisk until it becomes a soft cream.
- Add the powdered sugar and continue beating for a couple of minutes until incorporated.
- Add the 2 tablespoons of cream, the vanilla, and the salt and beat just until the ingredients are incorporated.
- Fill your piping bag and refrigerate it for half an hour before decorating the cupcakes for extra consistency.
Do cupcakes keep inside or outside the refrigerator?
For undecorated cakes, it's best to keep them out of the refrigerator and covered in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. However, if they're already decorated with frosting, you should keep them in the refrigerator to prevent the frosting from melting or spoiling.
Servings 12
- Amount per serving
- % Daily Value *
- Saturated Fat 14.2 g71 %
- Fiber 0.5 g2 %
- Sugars 31.2 g
- Calcium 48 %
- Iron 1 %
- Vitamin D 14 %
*Percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
