Vanilla Cupcakes

Magnolia Bakery’s Vanilla Cupcakes

Before I get started on the recipe, I feel that attention must be paid to the significance of Magnolia Bakery. Magnolia Bakery revolutionized cupcakes and has been credited for the "cupcake craze" in the early 90's that resulted in little couture cupcake boutiques to pop up throughout the country and probably played a role in cupcakes being the new replacement for the traditional wedding cake.

Magnolia Bakery, in NYC, is SO popular that no single customer can purchase more than 12 a day. They're THAT much in demand. It was even featured in Sex and the City--Carrie and Miranda ate cupcakes outside of it while discussing Carrie's latest crush! Naturally, I can't resist but putting the clip:



The founders of Magnolia Bakery published two baking books (to my knowledge), and I found this recipe for their Vanilla Cupcake from their first cookbook.

This recipe works. It's easy and there's just no way to screw up. Here you go:



Cook Time: 40 min
Yields: 24

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk ( I only had fat-free so I put 1/2 cup fat free and 1/2 cup half and half)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

EQUIPMENT:
1 Large Bowl
1 Small Bowl
1 Electronic Mixer (you can mix by hand should you wish)
Measuring Cups
1 Muffin Tin Pan
24 Cupcake Liners


DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Line muffin tins with cupcake papers
3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer,cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy (about 3 min).
5. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beat well after each addition.
6. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with milk and vanilla. With each addition, beaut until the ingredients are incorporated, but do no over beat.
7. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
8. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full.
9. Bake 20-25 minutes--only took 20 min for me--or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
10. Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.