Vanilla Bean Cupcakes Recipes

VANILLA BEAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat Oven to 325 degrees. Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners.
• Add cake mix. flour and sugar to bowl of electric mixer and whisk until combined
• Add eggs, milk, oil and sour cream to the flour mixture and beat on low for 2 minutes.
• Carefully slice open the vanilla bean and scrape seeds out with dull edge of a paring knife. Add the beans to the batter and mix to combine thoroughly.
• Pour batter evenly into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
• Bake in preheated oven for 17 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
• While the cupcakes are cooling prepare the frosting.
• Add shortening, 4 cups of the confectioners sugar and 1/2 cup milk or cream to the bowl of electric mixer and carefully increase speed to medium high. Whip for 2-3 minutes.
• Add remaining confectioners sugar one cup at a time, bearing well between each addition.
• Scrape seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the frosting, beating until well combined.
• Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
• Decorate to your liking.

VANILLA BEAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Pour the cream into a small saucepan. If using a vanilla bean: using a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean in half, scrape out the seeds, and put everything into the saucepan with your cream. If using vanilla paste, simply pour into the cream and stir to combine.
• Heat the cream over low heat until it just starts to steam. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, remove the pods with a fork or tongs. Cream is now ready to use. If you used vanilla paste, it is ready to use after the 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line the wells of a 12-count cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the melted butter, sugar, egg, yogurt, infused cream, and vanilla extract on medium to high speed until completely smooth.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low, then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined. Then, fold gently by hand with a large spatula and press out any large lumps of flour that remain by scraping them against the side of the bowl. Small lumps are ok.
• Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ to ¾ of the way full with batter. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
• In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
• With the mixer on low, add in the powdered sugar, vanilla (either the seeds scraped from the pod, paste, or extract), and milk or cream. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until completely smooth, about 3 minutes. If frosting is too stiff, add more milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. Add salt to taste.
• For more buttercream troubleshooting tips, see my book, The Home Baker's Guide to Basic Buttercream.
• Frost the cupcakes using a piping bag or a large zip top bag with the corner snipped off. Cupcakes will stay fresh covered at room temperature up to 3 days. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Cupcakes freeze well, frosted or unfrosted, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

VANILLA BEAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin or cupcake tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
• Whisk together the dry ingredients: In one bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Cool: Allow the cupcakes to cool for a few minutes in the pan, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

VANILLA BEAN CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA FROSTING

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In medium bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder and salt.
• Heat oven to 375°F. (For dark or nonstick pans, heat oven to 350°F.) In large bowl, beat 1 cup softened butter, seeds from 1 vanilla bean, and 1 1/2 cups sugar with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. On low speed, beat flour mixture into sugar mixture alternately with 1 cup milk, beating after each addition just until smooth. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Stir in sour cream.
• Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, filing each about three-fourths full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for frosting, in 4-quart saucepan beat 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup flour with whisk. Beat in 2 cups milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, beating constantly. Cook 1 minute longer as it boils. Remove from heat; immediately pour into ungreased 2-quart baking dish or shallow pan with sides. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until cooled.
• In large bowl, beat 2 cups softened butter and seeds from 1 vanilla bean with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add cooled flour mixture by 1/4 cupfuls; beat on high speed until smooth. Beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.
• Place frosting in large resealable freezer bag. Cut off one bottom corner to create 1-inch opening. Pipe frosting in circular motion over cupcakes. Garnish with raspberries and mint.

VANILLA BEAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Scrape vanilla bean seeds into microwavable bowl; add beans to bowl, cover beans with 3/4 cup milk. Microwave on High 1 minute or until mixture boils. Let stand 15 minutes. Remove beans. Add remaining milk to warm milk mixture, stir well. Reserve 1/4 cup milk mixture.
• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In large bowl, beat 3/4 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, beating after each addition. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture, beating just until blended. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove to cooling racks. Cool completely. in large bowl beat frosting ingredients on low speed until blended, adding 1 tablespoon reserved milk mixture at time. Frost cupcakes.

VANILLA BEAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with baking cups.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs/whites together with an electric mixer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium mixing bowl. Add the flour mixture, milk, oil, and vanilla to the eggs. Split the vanilla bean from end to end and scrape the seeds out with a knife. Add to the mix and incorporate the ingredients together slowly, just until the batter is smooth. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full.
• Bake in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

VANILLA BEAN CUPCAKES (TOPPED WITH VANILLA BEAN BUTTERCREAM FROSTING!)

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line 2 muffin pans with cupcake liners.
• In a mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the eggs in one at a time, adding the baking powder and salt with the last egg. Mix until just combined.
• Add the milk by adding the first half only, and mixing it into the batter. Add the cake flour (or all-purpose flour) gradually into the wet batter. Finish combining the ingredients with adding the last half of the milk and mixing until smooth, and adding the vanilla bean caviar or paste. Mix until well distributed.
• To scrape the vanilla bean caviar from a whole bean: Press the vanilla bean flat on a cutting board then use a sharp knife to cut down the length of the bean to make a slit. Pull the bean open carefully, then use the tip of your knife to scrape down the insides of the bean.
• Pour equal portions of the batter into each cupcake liner and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick can be entered into the center of the cupcake and come out clean.
• Allow your cupcakes to cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then remove them from the pan and set them aside so they may cool completely before frosting or serving.

ORANGE-VANILLA BEAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Cream butter, sugar, vanilla seeds, and orange zest until pale and fluffy. With mixer running, add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl.
• Combine cream, orange juice, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Sift togetherflour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, addflour mixture to butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with cream mixture, ending with flour; beat until just combined.
• Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until testers inserted in the centers come out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Undecorated cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 1 day (or frozen for up to 2 months).
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of each cupcake to make level. Using an offset spatula, frost tops of each cupcake with some buttercream. Place a candied citrus slice on each cupcake. Fit a pastry bag with a small plain tip, and fill with remaining buttercream. Pipe dots around edges of orange slices. Cupcakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.