Helpful Tips For Baking Chocolate Cupcakes

After a few failed attempts over the years of making cupcakes, I have come to know a few tricks for success.

• Use room temperature ingredients. Believe it or not, using butter, eggs, egg whites, and milk all at room temperature yields you a smoother, better-incorporated cake batter and thus better cupcakes.

• Do not over-bake. Moist chocolate cupcakes come with just the right amount of time in the oven. Start checking for doneness after 10 minutes and then go from there. Every oven is different (some run hotter than others) so be sure you are checking your cupcakes for doneness every few minutes once you’re getting close to them being completely baked.

• Cool completely before frosting. Frosting is primarily made up of butter and the butter will melt if your cupcakes are not cooled completely. Be patient, you can do this!

Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder Versus All the Others

I have found the best cocoa that will give you the best chocolatey flavor is Dutch Process Cocoa Powder. Regular unsweetened cocoa powder is a little more acidic while Dutch processed is neutral. This just has to do with the way the cocoa beans are processed. While both kinds of cocoa powder will definitely work in this recipe, I like the Dutch-Process best. Ghirardelli has a great Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder that I’ve been using and it is fabulous. I would highly recommend it.

How To Make Chocolate Cupcakes

Ordinary pantry staples come together to create these chocolate cupcakes! For full recipe details and ingredient measurements, see the printable recipe card down below.

Preheat Oven + Prep Muffin Tins

Preheat oven. Line 32 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.

Make the Batter

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together to combine. Set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, stir buttermilk, vanilla and instant coffee granules (if using) together. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, mix oil and sugar together until combined. Mix in eggs and egg white, one at a time, until mixture becomes lighter in color, about 90 seconds.

Alternate adding in flour mixture with milk mixture, starting and ending with flour. Scrape the sides and mix again to ensure a smooth batter.

Bake and Cool

Using an ice cream scoop, fill muffin tins 2/3 of the way full with batter.

Bake in the lower 2/3 of the oven. Cupcakes will be done when a toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Cool a couple of minutes in pans before trying to remove and transfer to cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting.

How to Make Vanilla Frosting

In a large bowl, measure and add butter, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir with beaters on low (or paddle attachment on stand mixer) to mix and break up the butter. It will still be very powdery and dry. Slowly add in the heavy cream. Once you notice the frosting start to come together stop adding the cream. You may need to add more than the amount listed. This is also normal. Increase mixer speed to medium to get rid of any lumps and create a smooth frosting. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl and mix again to ensure a completely smooth frosting.

Vanilla frosting will be done when it can hold its shape, but you can easily move a butter knife through it. If it’s too thick, add more cream and mix. If you’ve added too much cream and the frosting is too soft, add more powdered sugar. If you notice there are a lot of air bubbles in your frosting, use a large wooden spoon to beat a lot of the air out of the frosting by hand.

A Note About Heavy Cream

You can substitute milk for heavy cream in the frosting recipe. Start with half the amount and slowly add more in as needed until it reaches the desired consistency.

Make Ahead

The best thing about making this chocolate cupcake recipe (and really any baked cake) is they store beautifully if you make them ahead! Here are a few storage options:

Storing Cupcakes at Room Temperature

Once your cupcakes have been baked and cooled, put them in an airtight container and store at room temperature overnight. Prepare the frosting then cover and store in the fridge overnight as well. When you are ready to assemble and decorate, set the frosting out at room temperature to soften for about 30-45 minutes. Give it a quick mix to loosen it up in your mixer for about a minute, then frost away! (You may have to add a splash of heavy cream or milk to bring it back to life.)

Freezing Cupcakes

Yes, you can freeze even frosted cupcakes! Avoid adding any decorations or sprinkles until ready to serve. Use a container that is airtight, and big enough to not smoosh the tops of the cupcakes. Place them in the freezer for 2 hours. This time will allow the frosting to freeze. At this point, pull them out and quickly wrap each cupcake individually in plastic wrap and place back into the airtight container. Doing so will help retain the shape and moisture in the cupcake. Cupcakes will stay fresh in the freezer for about 1 month.

To Thaw: Remove from freezer, and gently unwrap plastic wrap from each cupcake. Place back in the airtight container with the lid on and allow to thaw at room temperature for a couple hours before serving.

More Cupcake Recipes to Try!

• Carrot Cake Cupcakes
• Vanilla Cupcakes
• Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
• Vegan Cupcakes
• Oreo Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

The printable recipe card is below. Be sure to save/print/bookmark or share this recipe! Have a great day, friends!

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Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

These Chocolate Cupcakes with easy Vanilla Frosting are a fabulous dessert, special occasion treat or birthday surprise. Made with simple pantry ingredients, you will fall in love with this recipe.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate cupcake recipe, chocolate cupcakes, vanilla frosting

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 32 cupcakes

Calories 252kcal

Author Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
• ¾ cup  dutch processed cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules, such as Folgers optional
• ¾ cup vegetable oil or canola oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white

For the Vanilla Frosting:

• 1 cup butter softened
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup heavy cream* or more, as needed (see notes about substituting milk below)

Instructions

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 32 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together to combine. Set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, stir buttermilk, vanilla and instant coffee granules (if using) together. Set aside.
• In a separate large bowl, mix oil and sugar together until combined. Mix in eggs and egg white, one at a time, until mixture becomes lighter in color, about 90 seconds.
• Alternate adding in flour mixture with milk mixture, starting and ending with flour. Scrape the sides and mix again to ensure a smooth batter.
• Using an ice cream scoop, fill tins 2/3 of the way full with batter.

  Bake 15-22 minutes in the lower 2/3 of the oven. Cupcakes will be done when a toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Cool 5-10 minutes in pans before trying to remove and transfer to cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting.

For the Vanilla Frosting:

• In a large bowl, measure and add butter, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir with beaters on low (or paddle attachment on stand mixer) to mix and break up the butter. It will still be very powdery and dry. Slowly add in the heavy cream. Once you notice the frosting start to come together stop adding the cream. You may need to add more than the amount listed. This is also normal. Increase mixer speed to medium to get rid of any lumps and create a smooth frosting. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl and mix again to ensure a completely smooth frosting.
• Vanilla frosting will be done when it can hold its shape, but you can easily move a butter knife through it. If it's too thick, add more cream and mix. If you've added too much cream and the frosting is too soft, add more powdered sugar. If you notice there are a lot of air bubbles in your frosting, use a large wooden spoon to beat a lot of the air out of the frosting by hand.

Notes

*You can substitute milk for heavy cream in the frosting recipe. Start with half the amount and slowly add more in as needed until it reaches the desired consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 247IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Vanilla Cake Transformed

Happy 4th of July! 

You guys, these 4th of July Cupcakes are the quite possibly the most patriotic dessert in all the land! My go-to vanilla cupcake recipe gets a makeover with food coloring, killer cream cheese frosting, and sprinkles! Nothing says summer holiday quite like sugar on sugar on sugar. Basically, every kids’ dreams come true.

I brought these to a BBQ a few nights ago and people ended up fighting over them. Like mother against daughter “give me a bite of your cupcake!!” I think they were surprised that a plain old vanilla cupcake could taste that awesome.  Moist, sweet, and tender cake with a tangy, perfectly sweet cream cheese frosting. Simplicity at its best. AND, you probably have all the ingredients on hand Cha-ching! Money in the bank. Just be sure to NOT over-bake the cupcakes and to use Philly cream cheese.

Need more frosting options? Try my Buttercream Frosting, Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting, Vegan Chocolate Frosting, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Frosting, Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe.

Food Coloring + Sprinkles Options

Food Coloring – The fun part about these cupcakes is dying the batter red and blue! I like using gel food colorant because a little goes a long way but liquid food coloring will work too.

Sprinkles – optional but super fun for kids! Use what you have or order special sprinkles for an event.

Can I Use Different Colors?

The beauty of this recipe is that you don’t *have* to use red and blue food coloring! All my Canadian friends could do red and white for Canada Day too! Or, you could pick out some favorite colors and turn these into birthday cupcakes, or school colors for a graduation party. Consider this a tie-dye type of recipe (kinda like these Mini Tie Dye Cheesecakes)! The possibilities are seriously endless!

How To Make 4th of July Cupcakes

Here you’ll find the step-by-step directions for making the cupcakes and frosting. For full complete details and measurements, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Preheat Oven + Prep Muffin Tins

Preheat oven. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set it aside.

Make Cake Batter

In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, for 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, alternate adding in the dry ingredients with the milk until none remain. Scrape sides to ensure even mixing. Fold in whipped egg whites.

Divide + Color Batter

Divide batter between 3 different bowls. Stir red food coloring into one and blue into another one. I tried to find a balance between bright-colored cupcakes vs tastes like gross food coloring cupcakes.

Fill Cupcake Tins, Bake + Cool

Using a cookie dough scoop, spoon a scoop of each of the white, red, and blue cake batters, into prepared cupcake pans, alternating colors. Once muffin tins are filled 3/4 of the way, bake until a toothpick comes out clean after being inserted. Set aside to cool completely before frosting.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat cream cheese and butter together to combine. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Scrape sides and beat for 3 minutes until the frosting lightens in color and thickens slightly.

Frost Cupcakes + Add Sprinkles

Frost cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles. After you pull the paper liners off, kids go NUTS for these!

Storing Cupcakes

Because the frosting has cream cheese in it, I would recommend storing these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Make Ahead

You can make these cupcakes a few days ahead of when you need them. Bake and cool cupcakes and store at room temperature in an airtight container or bag. For the cream cheese frosting, store in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to frost, allow to sit out on the counter to soften up. I suggest giving it a quick re-whip until it’s smooth and creamy again. You might need to add a little milk to loosen the consistency.

Can I freeze frosted cupcakes?

Yes! You will want to place frosted cupcakes in a sturdy freezer safe container that will keep the cupcakes from getting smooshed. Avoid placing plastic wrap to cover the tops, that will just make a mess. Cupcakes will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Fourth of July Desserts!

• Flag Cake
• Old-Fashioned Mini Cherry Pie
• Double Berry Galette
• Sugar Cookie Bars
• Buttery Apple Pie Recipe
• Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

Let me know if you make these this July 4th weekend!

The printable recipe card is down below

More Fourth of July Desserts!

• Flag Cake
• Old-Fashioned Mini Cherry Pie
• Double Berry Galette
• Sugar Cookie Bars
• Buttery Apple Pie Recipe
• Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

Let me know if you make these this July 4th weekend!

The printable recipe card is down below

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4th of July Cupcakes

Say, "Happy Fourth!" with these Red, White and Blue Cupcakes. These are moist, sweet cupcakes topped with a tangy, creamy frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword red white and blue cupcakes

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 18 cupcakes

Calories 319kcal

Author Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients

for the cupcakes-

• 4 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• food coloring red and blue

for the frosting-

• 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature (Philadelphia brand is preferred)
• 1/2 cup salted butter softened
• 2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• sprinkles optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
  
• In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
  
• In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Alternate stirring in the dry ingredients with the milk until none remain. Scrape sides to ensure even mixing.
  
• Fold in whipped egg whites.
  
• Divide batter between 3 different bowls. Stir red food coloring into one and blue into another one.
  
• Alternating between the white, red, and blue cake batters, spoon into prepared cupcake pans, alternating colors. Once muffin tins are filled 3/4 of the way, bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean after being inserted. Set aside to cool.
  
• For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together to combine. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Scrape sides and beat for 3 minutes until the frosting lightens in color and thickens slightly.
  
• Frost cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 506IU | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg

The post 4th of July Cupcakes appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Flavoring Buttercream Frosting – Make it Your Own

You can flavor your buttercream frosting to fit your own needs! I know, so amazing, right?

Because this recipe is flavored with vanilla extract, it only makes sense that you can substitute out for any other flavored extract, like peppermint (chocolate cake with peppermint buttercream). Or almond extract if that’s your thing.

How about flavoring with natural fruit juice? You could zest and squeeze basically any citrus (hello lemon)! Or puree some berries for a mixed berry frosting. Choose whatever is in season and ready to eat.

For all the chocolate lovers out there, you can always add cocoa powder to the mix or melted chocolate.

If you aren’t a vanilla person, be sure to give these other frostings a try: Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe, Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting, Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting and Vanilla Cinnamon Cake with Browned Butter Frosting.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

I love the sweet simplicity of a vanilla buttercream frosting. I prefer this plain frosting over any chocolate version and the older I get the more I prefer vanilla cake over chocolate. For full recipe details, see the printable recipe card down below.

Measure Out Butter, Powdered Sugar + Vanilla

Measure out the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.

Begin to Combine with Hand or Stand Mixer

Using a hand or stand mixer, start to combine the butter into the powdered sugar.

Slowly Add in Milk

With the mixer on, slowly stream in your milk tablespoon by tablespoon until it starts to come together and look creamy.

If it hasn’t come together yet, add another tablespoon, mix and wait it out. After about 2 or 3 tablespoons, your frosting should be thick enough to hold its shape, but light enough to have a butter knife or rubber scraper run through it with ease.

Ready to Frost

Once you reach this point, you are done and the buttercream is ready to use.

How much will this recipe frost?

Because this buttercream frosting recipe is so adaptable the possibilities really are endless! One frosting recipe will frost:

• 1 2-layer 8-inch cake OR
• 1 9×13 cake OR
• 12 cupcakes using a piping bag OR
• 24 cupcakes using a butter knife

How to Color Buttercream Frosting

Start out by making the buttercream frosting recipe as directed. Then add small amounts of food dye at a time and mix again. Repeat until the desired color is reached.

I would recommend using the gel food dye because it is more concentrated meaning that it won’t mess with the texture and thickness of the buttercream. You can find these on Amazon or at a specialty baking store.

Or if you want a color and flavor change, try pureeing berries or use jam to mix into your frosting.

Buttercream Frosting Pro Tips

• Absolutely 100% use room temperature butter. Plan ahead and pull it out several hours ahead of time. Worst case scenario is to cut it into pats and microwave it using the “soften” function.
• Offset spatulas work amazingly well for frosting a larger, layered cake. These are the ones I use and love!
• These plastic disposable piping bags are heaven sent! Use them with or without special tips for frosting cupcakes. This large, open star tip and this wide, round tip are my two favorites for frosting cupcakes.
• Never underestimate using the back of a spoon or a butter knife to decorate! Those can work just as beautifully!
• Down below, I go over how much frosting one recipe will make and how far it could frost. These are just guidelines since people frost differently and have different frosting preferences. I like mine loaded on thankyouverymuch, but you might like a lighter, thinner layer. To each their own. Also, the tools you use can determine how far one batch of frosting will take you (for example, a piping bag versus an offset spatula). So, keep that in mind as you are frosting away.

Does Buttercream Frosting need to be refrigerated?

Buttercream is easiest to spread at room temperature.

If you have frosted a cake and will be consuming it in the following 24 hours, there is no need to refrigerate.

If you have frosted a cake several days in advance, you may want to refrigerate or freeze for later use. Just be sure to wrap well.

Can you freeze this Frosting?

Yes! Simply place your frosting into an airtight container or bag, seal and store in the freezer for up to three months. To defrost, pull out of the freezer and bring to room temperature. If it seems a little deflated, stir or whip again briefly in a large bowl and use as desired.

More Frostings to Try!

• Cream Cheese Frosting
• Marshmallow Frosting
• Divinity Frosting
• Reese’s Frosting
• Peanut Butter Oreo Frosting

This recipe is not rocket science in the least and I assure you that you can totally make your buttercream frosting turn out as perfectly as the pictures make it seem.

Printable recipe card below! Save it, pin it, print it, because it’s one of those must-know recipes.

Have a good day, friends!

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Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Get this four-ingredient, super simple recipe for buttercream frosting. Easy to halve, double or triple, just make sure you have soft butter!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword buttercream frosting, buttercream frosting recipe, dessert, vanilla buttercream, vanilla frosting

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Calories 218kcal

Author Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk or more, as needed

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Measure out the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Using a hand or stand mixer, start to combine the butter into the powdered sugar.
• With the mixer on, slowly stream in your milk tablespoon by tablespoon until it starts to come together and look creamy.
• If it hasn’t come together, add another tablespoon, mix and wait it out. After about 2 or 3 tablespoons, your frosting should be thick enough to hold its shape, but light enough to have a butter knife or rubber scraper run through it with ease.
• Once you reach this point, you are done and the buttercream is ready to use.

Notes

One frosting recipe will frost:

• 1 2-layer 8-inch cake OR
• 1 9×13 cake OR
• 12 cupcakes using a piping bag OR
• 24 cupcakes using a butter knife

Nutrition

Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 3mg | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Calcium: 5mg

The post Buttercream Frosting Recipe appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

If you are looking for the perfect carrot cake cupcake recipe to make this Easter, you’ve found it! Made without eggs and very easily can be made vegan if needed, yet still as delicious as any normal cupcake. Topped with cream cheese frosting and you’ve got the perfect Easter treat.

Helpful Cupcake Substitutions

• Milk – if you are looking to keep these cupcakes vegan, replace the milk with almond milk. Milk and vinegar mixture can be completely replaced with buttermilk.
• White Vinegar – this can be replaced with lemon juice if needed! Milk and vinegar mixture can be completely replaced with buttermilk.
• Cinnamon, Nutmeg + Cloves – all warm delicious spices found in traditional carrot cake recipes. I’ve learned from other previously published recipes that cloves can be quite a controversial ingredient. If you are not a fan of cloves, just omit it or reduce the listed amount by half.
• Canola Oil – oil keeps the carrot cake cupcakes nice and moist. Any light-colored oil will work like vegetable or grapeseed oil. Or if you’re in a pinch, melted butter!
• Carrots – I highly recommend shredding your own carrots rather than buying pre-shredded carrots. But if all you have is the pre-shredded kind just note that your cupcakes will tend to be drier.

Wait, No Eggs?

I think it’s important to note that this recipe *does not* call for eggs. It’s not a typo, folks!! There are no eggs listed in the recipe card because I don’t add eggs to this cake batter. Structurally, it’s fine without eggs and your carrot cake cupcakes will turn out just as beautiful as mine, pictured below. I promise these cupcakes will turn out perfectly without the eggs. Dare I say you won’t even notice? And as an extra bonus, you can lick out the bowl with no raw egg guilt…not that that ever stops me. Ahem.

Carrot Cake Cupcake Add-Ins

If you would like to add in the coconut, pecans, and/or pineapple, here’s how to do it:

• Crushed Pineapple: Reduce milk and vinegar mixture by 1/2 cup and add 1/4 cup extra flour to the batter. Drain one 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple. Stir in with the grated carrot. Bake, cool, and frost as usual.
• Pecans: Stir in 3/4 cup toasted and chopped pecans into the batter with the grated carrot. Bake, cool, and frost as usual. Walnuts or almonds are also a good substitution.
• Coconut: Stir in 1 1/2 cups sweetened, desiccated coconut into the batter with the grated carrot. Bake, cool, and frost as usual.

If you do not want to add in the crushed pineapple but would like to add in pecans or coconut, the milk and vinegar mixture does not need to be reduced because you’re not adding in extra moisture like you would be with the pineapple.

How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes

For full details on how to make carrot cake cupcakes, see the recipe card down below

Prep and Preheat

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners and set them aside.

Make the Cupcake Batter

Measure out milk and vinegar. Stir and set aside.

In a large bowl, measure out all dry ingredients and whisk together to combine. Create well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk vinegar mixture, oil, and vanilla. Stir until just incorporated. Add in carrots and stir again.

Bake + Cool

Divide batter evenly between muffin tins. Bake 15-20 minutes or until set. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting + Decorate

To make the cream cheese frosting, mix cream cheese and butter together until well combined. {I use a hand mixer for this.} Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar until just combined and smooth. If you over mix the frosting, it won’t hold its shape as well and will slowly drip off the cupcakes.

Spread about 3 tablespoons of frosting onto each cupcake and decorate as desired.

How to Decorate Carrot Cake Cupcakes

After a simple coating of cream cheese frosting these carrot cake cupcakes can be dressed up in numerous ways, here are a few ideas to get you started:

• chopped pecans
• shredded coconut
• edible florals/herbs
• sprinkles
• colored frosting in the shape of carrots
• spiral orange slices

Cake Size Options

This carrot cake cupcake recipe will make:

• 24 cupcakes (350 for 15-20 minutes)
• two 8 or 9-inch round cakes {350 for 20-25 minutes}
• 9×13 cake {350 for 25-30 minutes}

No need to change the frosting recipe, it’s enough to frost any of the options above.

More Carrot Cake Recipes to Try!

• Carrot Cake Protein Bites
• Carrot Cake Cookies
• Carrot Cake Cobbler
• Carrot Cake Oatmeal
• Carrot Cake Donuts
• Classic Carrot Cake

So, if you’re celebrating Easter with cupcakes, it may as well be these ones!

The printable recipe card is found below, enjoy!

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Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Classic Carrot Cake topped with cream cheese frosting all in bite-sized form, Carrot Cake Cupcakes are a perfect Easter treat. Especially when they are decorated with these adorable toppings!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword carrot cake, Carrot Cake Cupcakes, Carrot Cupcakes

Prep Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Servings 24 cupcakes

Calories 297kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 2/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil/melted butter
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups grated carrot

for the cream cheese frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup salted butter softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 lb powdered sugar

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners and set them aside.
• Measure out milk and vinegar*. Stir and set aside.
• In a large bowl, measure out all dry ingredients and whisk together to combine. Create well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk vinegar mixture, oil, and vanilla. Stir until just incorporated. Add in carrots and stir again.
• Divide batter evenly between muffin tins. Bake 15-20 minutes or until set. Cool completely before frosting.
• To make frosting, mix cream cheese and butter together until well combined. {I use a hand mixer for this.} Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar until just combined and smooth. If you over mix the frosting, it won’t hold it’s shape as well and will slowly drip off the cupcakes.
• Spread about 3 tablespoons of frosting onto each cupcake and decorate as desired.

Notes

• Buttermilk: Milk and vinegar mixture can be replaced with 2 cups of buttermilk.
• No Eggs: There are no eggs in this recipe! It’s not a typo and yes, they will turn out just fine.
• 9×13 Inch Cake: Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.
• Two 8-inch Round Cakes: Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
• Crushed pineapple: Reduce milk and vinegar mixture by 1/2 cup and add 1/4 cup extra flour to the batter. Drain one 8 oz can of crushed pineapple. Stir in with the grated carrot. Bake, cool, and frost as usual.
• Pecans: Stir in 3/4 cup toasted and chopped pecans into the batter with the grated carrot. Bake, cool, and frost as usual. Walnuts or almonds are also a good substitution.
• Coconut: Stir in 1 1/2 cups sweetened, desiccated coconut into the batter with the grated carrot. Bake, cool, and frost as usual.

Nutrition

Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 3076IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Carrot Cake Cupcakes appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Top 10 Best Cupcake Recipes

Chocolate Cupcakes

These Chocolate Cupcakes with delicious rich chocolate buttercream frosting are a fabulous dessert, special occasion treat, or birthday surprise. Made with simple pantry ingredients, you will fall in love with this recipe. Based on my Perfect Chocolate Cake recipe and topped with my Chocolate Frosting.

Vanilla Cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes are my very favorite. I love chocolate, I love carrot cake but I truly love a simple vanilla cupcake. Based on my vanilla cake recipe, these Vanilla Cupcakes are to die for! Moist, tender, perfectly sweet, and ready to make for any occasion. Of course, amazing frosted with my Vanilla Buttercream.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

With all of the same flavors as classic Red Velvet Cake, these Red Velvet Cupcakes are faster to make all topped with cream cheese frosting!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Bite-sized with all of the traditional flavors of a classic Carrot Cake, Carrot Cake Cupcakes are a perfect Easter treat. Especially when they are decorated with these adorable toppings! Topped with my cream cheese frosting recipe.

Vegan Cupcakes

Vegan Cupcakes are perfect as wedding cupcakes, birthday cupcakes or any other sort of cupcake you need! They are just as good too! Super yummy paired with my Vegan Chocolate Frosting.

Orange Cupcakes

These are Orange Cupcakes. Super light and refreshing with the perfect amount of sweetness. Top with an orange frosting and sprinkles!

Sweet Potato Cupcakes

These Sweet Potato Cupcakes are moist, sweet, tender, and downright delicious. And the Brown Sugar Marshmallow Frosting is amazing!!!

Oreo Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Oreo Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes are oreo-bottomed chocolate cupcakes with oreo peanut butter frosting! Talk about decadent!

Sour Cream Vanilla Cupcakes

Soft and super moist, these Sour Cream Vanilla Cupcakes are topped with creamy vanilla frosting! These are for all you vanilla lovers out there!

Lemon Cupcakes

These lemon cupcakes with lemon mousse frosting are made with really simple ingredients that we all have on hand, but what makes them extra special is the frosting!

The post Best Cupcake Recipes appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Red Velvet Cupcakes | A Classic Cupcake

Red Velvet Cupcakes are a classic cupcake recipe taken from my Red Velvet Cake recipe. Perfect for when you want something a little more simple than a tiered cake but with all of the same great flavors! Vanilla, cocoa, and a bit of tang (from the buttermilk)! Pair with a homemade cream cheese frosting and you’ve got a show-stopping dessert.

Main Ingredients Needed

Head to the store to pick up all the ingredients you will need to make these amazing Red Velvet Cupcakes:

• Vegetable Oil – this is to keep the cupcakes nice and moist.
• Sugar – to sweeten.
• Eggs + Egg Whites – for structure and texture. The extra egg whites are used to keep these cupcakes light.
• Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder – here’s the cocoa powder that’s used to flavor the cupcakes.
• Baking Soda – the leavening agent for this recipe.
• Flour – this fills out the rest of the cupcakes.
• Buttermilk + Vinegar – these provide that classic tang in red velvet cake and provide such good moisture.
• Vanilla – for flavor.
• Red Food Coloring – I used liquid food coloring but feel free to use gel coloring too. Start small and add more if you think it needs more color.

Looking for even more cupcake recipes? Look no further! Chocolate Cupcakes, Vanilla Cupcakes, Vegan Cupcakes, and Carrot Cake Cupcakes.

How to Make Red Velvet Cupcakes

For full details on how to make red velvet cupcakes, see the recipe card down below

Preheat Oven + Prep Pans

Preheat oven. Line cupcake tin with liners and/or spray well with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Prepare the Dry + Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together to combine. Set aside.

In a liquid measuring cup, stir buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar, and red food coloring. Set aside.

Make the Batter

In a separate large bowl, mix oil and sugar together until combined. Mix in eggs and egg white, one at a time, until the mixture becomes lighter in color.

Alternate adding in flour mixture with milk mixture, being sure to start and end with flour. Scrape the sides and mix again to ensure a smooth batter.

Bake + Cool

Divide evenly between the cupcake wells. Bake in the lower 2/3rds of the oven. The cupcakes will be done when a toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

Cool in the cupcake tin before trying to invert on cooling racks. Once you can handle the warm pans with your bare hands, you can flip them out. Cool completely before frosting and decorating.

What Frosting Should I Use?

Traditionally these red velvet cupcakes are topped with cream cheese frosting (which I wrote in the recipe card). But you can also use regular vanilla buttercream frosting!

Make-Ahead Instructions

And if you need to make these Red Velvet Cupcakes ahead of time, you’ve got options!

Storing at Room Temperature

Once your cupcakes has been baked, cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight. Prepare the frosting then cover and store in the fridge overnight as well. When you are ready to decorate, set the frosting out at room temperature to soften for about 30-45 minutes. Give it a quick mix to loosen it up in your mixer for about a minute, then frost away! (You may have to add a splash of heavy cream or milk to bring it back to life.)

Freezing Red Velvet Cupcakes

If you want to make these cupcakes even farther ahead of time, consider freezing it! Baked cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. 

Wrap the cupcake tin (with cupcakes in it) well in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of heavy-duty foil and store flat in the freezer. Alternatively, you can wrap each cupcake in plastic wrap and then store them in a freezer-safe bag.

To thaw, transfer from the freezer to the fridge overnight and then bring to room temperature before decorating. Do not freeze cream cheese frosting.

More Red Velvet Recipes to Try!

• Red Velvet Nanaimo Bars
• Homemade Red Velvet Oreos
• Red Velvet Donuts
• Mini Red Velvet Cheesecake Recipe
• Red Velvet Cookies

Make these cupcakes for your next special occasion or just when you crave it!

The recipe card is down below, enjoy

Print

Red Velvet Cupcakes

With all of the same flavors as classic Red Velvet Cake, these Red Velvet Cupcakes are faster to make all topped with cream cheese frosting!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword red velvet cupcakes

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 32 cupcakes

Calories 274kcal

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil or canola oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 teaspoons liquid red food coloring see notes below

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
• 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

For the Red Velvet Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with liners and/or spray well with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together to combine. Set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, stir buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar, and red food coloring. Set aside.
• In a separate large bowl, mix oil and sugar together until combined. Mix in eggs and egg white, one at a time, until the mixture becomes lighter in color, about 90 seconds.
• Alternate adding in flour mixture with milk mixture, being sure to start and end with flour. Scrape the sides and mix again to ensure a smooth batter.
• Divide evenly between the cupcake wells. Bake 15-22 minutes in the lower 2/3rds of the oven. The cupcakes will be done when a toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Cool 15-20 minutes in the cupcake tin before trying to invert on cooling racks. Once you can handle the warm pans with your bare hands, you can flip them out. Cool completely before frosting and decorating.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together. You want them very soft, at room temperature so they cream nicely together and create a smooth frosting. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and very slowly start to incorporate. At first, it will seem like too much-powdered sugar, but as long as your butter and cream cheese were soft, it should combine. Once the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase speed to whip for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy. If it still seems too stiff to use as frosting, add in 1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream.

Notes

If you’d like a brighter red cake, use more red food coloring. Some recipes use a full 1 oz bottle, but I’d suggest using half that amount, 0.5 oz, at most. It can leave an unpleasant aftertaste, so I like to limit it. If this doesn’t bother you, go nuts with the food coloring.

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 214IU | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Red Velvet Cupcakes appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Chocolate Cupcakes | They Never Get Old!

I have been testing and testing chocolate cake recipes like there was no tomorrow several weeks ago (much to my chocoholic husband’s delight) and I’m so happy to report that I’ve got a perfect Classic Chocolate Cupcake recipe that is epically delicious that truly will never get old. There really is nothing better than perfectly moist and soft chocolate cake with homemade chocolate buttercream frosting. While I usually prefer a vanilla, red velvet or even an Italian Cream Cake (hello pecans and coconut!), I will never turn down chocolate, especially if it’s this recipe. I hope you love it as much as we have come to love it!

Main Ingredients Needed

Just like my chocolate cake recipe, you’re going to see a lot of the same ingredients here. Lots of pantry staples you should have on hand.

For the Cupcakes:

• Flour + Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder – flour fills out the cake and the cocoa gives us that clean chocolate flavor.
• Baking Powder + Baking Soda – both are used for the optimal amount of raise.
• Salt – to balance out the sweet and bring out that chocolate flavor.
• Buttermilk – this helps keep the cake moist. If you don’t have buttermilk use milk and white vinegar (1 1/2 cups of milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons of white vinegar).
• Vanilla – for flavor.
• Instant Coffee Granules– this is an optional ingredient, but a little certainly goes a long way! I recommend adding 1 teaspoon to your batter. You can’t taste coffee in the finished cake, but absolutely helps in getting that rich, chocolate flavor. I used Folgers Instant Coffee Crystals and they worked perfectly.
• Vegetable Oil – used for moisture
• Sugar – to sweeten.
• Eggs + Egg Whites – used for structure and texture. The egg white addition helps keep the cake light.

For the Chocolate Buttercream:

• Softened Butter– I like using salted butter, but that’s just my preference. The salt makes such a difference, especially in frosting.
• Powdered Sugar– to make our frosting sweet.
• Cocoa Powder– just use dutch processed, just like for the chocolate cupcake batter
• Salt– yes, I add a touch more salt to my frosting to really bring out that chocolate flavor
• Vanilla Extract– a nice compliment to the cocoa and helps bring out the chocolate flavors.
• Heavy Cream– used to bring this frosting together. If substituting milk, be sure to cut this amount in half first before adding all at once.

How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes

This is a super simple method to make these chocolate cupcakes! Prep all your ingredients and then stir them together. Pour them into their cupcake liners and bake!

Prep

Preheat oven. Line 32 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.

Make the Batter

In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together to combine. Set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, stir buttermilk, vanilla and instant coffee granules (if using) together. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, mix oil and sugar together until combined. Mix in eggs and egg white, one at a time, until mixture becomes lighter in color, about 90 seconds.

Alternate adding in flour mixture with milk mixture, being sure to start and end with flour. Scrape the sides and mix again to ensure a smooth batter.

Bake and Cool

Using an ice cream scoop, fill tins 1/2-2/3rds of the way full with batter.

Bake in the lower 2/3rds of the oven. Cupcakes will be done when a toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Cool a couple of minutes in pans before trying to remove and transfer to cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting.

Frost Cupcakes

While in the recipe card I have a simple chocolate buttercream recipe listed, feel free to use a regular vanilla buttercream, cream cheese frosting, or try something different like my Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Frosting (yes, its a thing!) Or maybe even my new Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting!

Keep in mind that you use less frosting if you just spread it on using a knife and you will use more if you pipe it on. I just did a thin-ish layer per cupcake and added chocolate shavings over top as a garnish. Totally optional, but makes a delicious statement. Of course, sprinkles work, too!

More Amazing Cupcake Recipes to Try!

Check out all of my other cupcake recipes while you’re at it!

• Vanilla Cupcakes
• Vegan Cupcakes
• Oreo Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes

So there you have it! A super simple (and delicious!) way to make chocolate cupcakes. Try these this week and share with friends and neighbors. You never need a reason to make cupcakes

Have a great day, friends!

Print

BEST Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

These Chocolate Cupcakes with delicious rich chocolate buttercream frosting are a fabulous dessert, special occasion treat or birthday surprise. Made with simple pantry ingredients, you will fall in love with this recipe.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate cupcake recipe, chocolate cupcakes

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 32 cupcakes

Calories 252kcal

Author Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules, such as Folgers optional
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white

For the Chocolate Frosting:

• 1 cup butter softened
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup heavy cream* or more, as needed (see notes about substituting milk below)

Instructions

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 32 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together to combine. Set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, stir buttermilk, vanilla and instant coffee granules (if using) together. Set aside.
• In a separate large bowl, mix oil and sugar together until combined. Mix in eggs and egg white, one at a time, until mixture becomes lighter in color, about 90 seconds.
• Alternate adding in flour mixture with milk mixture, being sure to start and end with flour. Scrape the sides and mix again to ensure a smooth batter.
• Using an ice cream scoop, fill tins 1/2-2/3rds of the way full with batter.

  Bake 15-22 minutes in the lower 2/3rds of the oven. Cupcakes will be done when a toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Cool 5-10 minutes in pans before trying to remove and transfer to cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting.

For the Chocolate Frosting:

• In a large bowl, measure and add butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, salt and vanilla. Stir with beaters on low (or paddle attachment on stand mixer) to mix and break up the butter. It will still be very powdery and dry. Slowly add in the heavy cream. Once you notice the frosting start to come together stop adding the cream. You may need to add more than the amount listed. This is also normal. Increase mixer speed to medium to get rid of any lumps and create a smooth frosting. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl and mix again to ensure a completely smooth frosting.
• Chocolate frosting will be done when it can hold its shape, but you can easily move a butter knife through it. If its too thick, add more cream and mix. If you've added too much cream and the frosting is too soft, add more powdered sugar. If you notice there are a lot of air bubbles in your frosting, use a large wooden spoon to beat a lot of the air out of the frosting by hand.

Notes

*You can substitute milk for heavy cream in the buttercream recipe. Start with half the amount and slowly add more in as needed until it reaches the desired consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 247IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

The post BEST Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Vanilla Cupcakes | The Best Out There!

Today I am here to introduce the best vanilla cupcake recipe to ever grace your screen! Perfectly moist, easy to make, and best of all homemade, you’ll never make boxed cupcakes again. Plus I have a couple of helpful tips to make sure you have success every time. Read on friends

Main Ingredients Needed

You’re going to need a couple of baking basics to make these vanilla cupcakes, nothing fancy here. Start by gathering these ingredients:

• Flour – obviously needed for structure and a *little* gluten to hold these cupcakes together.
• Baking Soda + Baking Powder – our leavening agents. I like using both for extra lift.
• Salt – believe it or not, salt makes a huge difference in the finished product of your final cupcakes. Instead of sweet on sweet on sweet, the salt helps balance the flavor and brings out the vanilla flavor.
• Granulated Sugar – used to sweeten.
• Vanilla Extract – ok, friends, you’re going to want to use a good vanilla extract. Look for ‘pure vanilla extract’ instead of imitation vanilla for the best results. (Both will work, I just recommend pure vanilla extract. This is a great one.) 
• Butter + Vegetable Oil – I love the combination of the two of these in cupcakes. Butter gives great flavor and vegetable oil helps keep the cupcakes really moist. Canola oil also works in place of vegetable oil.
• Eggs + Egg Whites – eggs are needed for structure but the egg whites are whipped into the batter to lift and lighten. 
• Milk – used for moisture and the protein in the milk gives a soft crumb texture.

Helpful Tips

Here are my best tips for making these amazing vanilla cupcakes the first time around.

• Use room temperature ingredients. Believe it or not, using butter, eggs, egg whites, and milk all at room temperature yields you a smoother, better-incorporated cake batter and thus better cupcakes.
• Do not over-bake. Moist vanilla cupcakes come with just the right amount of time in the oven. Start checking for doneness after 10 minutes and then go from there. Every oven is different (some run hot, some run cold) so be sure you are checking your cake for doneness every few minutes once you’re getting close to it being completely baked.
• Cool completely before frosting. Frosting is primarily made up of butter and the butter will melt if your cupcakes are not cooled completely. Be patient, you can do this!

How to Make Vanilla Cupcakes

For full details on how to make vanilla cupcakes, see the recipe card down below!

Step 1: Prep

Preheat oven. Line muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.

Step 2: Make the Vanilla Cupcake Batter

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together to combine. Set aside.

In a liquid measuring cup, stir milk and vanilla together. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, mix butter, oil, and sugar together until combined. Mix in eggs and egg whites, one at a time, until the mixture becomes very light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again briefly.

Alternate adding in flour mixture with milk mixture, being sure to start and end with flour. Scrape the sides and mix again to ensure a smooth batter.

Step 3: Bake + Cool

Scoop batter into each cup so it’s 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

Cool in muffin tins before trying to invert on cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting and decorating.

Step 4: Frost

Once your cupcakes are cool you can frost them. I highly recommend my Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe or Buttercream Frosting Recipe for you vanilla lovers.

But if you are looking for something else check out my other frosting recipes!

More Classic Cupcakes to Try!

If you are loving this vanilla cupcake recipe, be sure to check out my other cupcake recipes too!

• Vegan Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes
• Chocolate Cupcakes
• Lemon Cupcakes

The printable recipe card is down below, enjoy!

Print

The Best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Based on my vanilla cake recipe, these Vanilla Cupcakes are to die for! Moist, tender, perfectly sweet, and ready to make for any occasion.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Vanilla Cupcake Recipe, vanilla cupcakes

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 24 cupcakes

Calories 205kcal

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon real vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup salted butter softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 whole large eggs
• 2 whole egg whites

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together to combine. Set aside.
• In a liquid measuring cup, stir milk and vanilla together. Set aside.
• In a separate large bowl, mix butter, oil, and sugar together until combined. Mix in eggs and egg whites, one at a time, until the mixture becomes very light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again briefly.
• Alternate adding in flour mixture with milk mixture, being sure to start and end with flour. Scrape the sides and mix again to ensure a smooth batter.
• Scoop batter into each cup so it’s 3/4 full. Bake 18-20 minutes in the lower 2/3rds of the oven. Cupcakes will be done when a toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool 15-20 minutes in muffin tins before trying to invert on cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting and decorating.

Nutrition

Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 62mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 141IU | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Vanilla Cupcakes appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Chocolate Ganache | A Decadent Treat

Chocolate Ganache is the ultimate decadent treat! It makes a great cake topper, a great glaze or an easy dip for strawberries. While Ganache sounds like a fancy french concoction, it couldn’t be simpler to make. Calling for just two ingredients and 5 minutes of total time, you can make this in a cinch. I made this cake to cover my frosted chocolate cake for Eddie’s birthday last month, but there are so many different uses for Ganache! Keep reading, friends. You are sure to fall in love with this dreamy chocolate recipe.

Main Ingredients Needed

The beautiful thing about this recipe is it literally only requires two main ingredients.

• Semi-Sweet Chocolate – you can use any type of chocolate for ganache (white, milk, bittersweet, dark) just make sure its good quality.
• Heavy Cream – this helps melt the chocolate and thin it out so that it’s pourable.

Best Chocolate to Use for Ganache

For the best ganache, be sure to use the highest quality chocolate you can find! I used a few Ghiradelli baking chocolate bars and would recommend them. Scharffen Berger also is great chocolate, but regular Baker’s Chocolate Baking Chocolate is great too. I’d suggest chopping those up into smaller pieces so they melt easily and quickly.

Can I use Chocolate Chips for Ganache?

While technically yes, you can use chocolate chips for ganache, I wouldn’t recommend it just because chocolate chips have less cocoa butter and added stabilizers to help them keep their shape. When you melt them into a ganache, they might give you a slightly grainy finish. Generally, the cheaper the chocolate, the more likely you are to have problems when using this kind of chocolate for ganache.

Baking chocolate is the exact opposite: it has a higher cocoa butter percentage and no stabilizers because it is meant to melt quickly since they are used for baking purposes, like ganache.

How to Make Ganache

For full details on how to make chocolate ganache see the recipe card down below

Step 1: Chop Up Chocolate

Break the chocolate into small pieces. The smaller you break or cut the chocolate, the quicker it will melt. Since the Ghiradelli is relatively thin, I didn’t opt to chop it, just broke it into smaller pieces, but in retrospect, it would have been much quicker if I took the 2 minutes to chop it up smaller.

Step 2: Heat Cream

Microwave cream until very hot, about 1 minute. Pour cream over the chocolate and let stand to completely melt, 3-5 minutes.

Step 3: Mix Chocolate and Cream Together

Stir chocolate and cream together to create a completely smooth ganache. Use as desired.

Having Trouble?

How to Use Ganache!

• Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
• Double Vanilla Cupcake
• Cream Puffs
• Homemade Brownie

• Dip for strawberries and other fruit
• Filling for layer cakes
• Cooled ganache can be used as frosting for a cake
• Cooled ganache can also be whipped into a frosting (aka Whipped Chocolate Ganache)!

The printable recipe card is down below, enjoy

Print

Chocolate Ganache

Made from only two ingredients with seemingly endless uses, this Chocolate Ganache recipe is as easy as they come! So so good friends!

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword chocolate ganache, ganache

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes

Total Time 7 minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 155kcal

Ingredients

• 8 oz good quality semi sweet chocolate such as ghiradelli
• 2/3 cup heavy cream

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Break chocolate into small pieces. The smaller you break or cut the chocolate, the quicker it will melt.
• Microwave cream until very hot, about 1 minute. Pour cream over chocolate and let stand 5 minutes to completely melt.
• Stir chocolate and cream together to create a completely smooth ganache. Use as desired.

Notes

If using as a glaze for a cake, consider increasing the heavy cream to 3/4-1 cup.

Nutrition

Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 204IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Chocolate Ganache appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

But if orange isn’t your thing check out these other tasty cakes: Perfect Carrot Cake Recipe, Vegan Cupcakes, Ultimate Banana Cake Recipe, and Lemon Raspberry Cake.

Orange Cupcakes | Light and Fluffy

These Orange Cupcakes! I wanted to make something springy and fresh, but slightly different. I originally thought I’d make lemon cupcakes since I’m a lemon freak and all but opted for orange because it’s kinda-sorta out of the norm. Meaning: you all should have oranges on hand or have at least heard of oranges. If you haven’t heard of oranges before, find some and get ready to live!

Main Ingredients Needed

To make Orange Cupcakes, start by gathering these ingredients from your pantry:

For the Cupcakes

• Flour – needed for structure to hold these cupcakes together.
• Sugar – used to sweeten.
• Salt – helps to balance out and enhance the sweet flavors.
• Baking Soda + Baking Powder – used as leavening agents. I like to use both in cupcakes for extra lift.
• Milk – used for moisture and the protein in the milk gives a soft crumb texture.
• Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil – helps keep the cupcakes really moist. Canola oil can be used in place of vegetable oil.
• Vanilla Extract + Almond Extract + Orange Zest – all the zing you need for these delicious cupcakes. It’s a balance of flavors that works SO perfectly together.
• Egg – used for structure.

For the Frosting

• Butter – softened. One of the main ingredients for all frostings!
• Orange Juice + Orange Zest – These ingredients make their way into the frosting that helps tie everything together! If you love orange you’ll love these cupcakes.
• Vanilla – for flavor.
• Powdered Sugar – brings the perfect sweetness to the frosting, and helps thicken it.

How to Make Orange Cupcakes|Directions

Here are the step by step directions to make Orange Cupcakes. Scroll to the bottom to find the printable recipe card.

Step 1: Prep

Preheat oven. Line muffin tins with paper liners and set them aside.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Stir with a fork to combine and make a large well in the center.

Step 3: Add in Wet Ingredients

Pour in orange zest, milk, vanilla, almond extract, egg and oil into the well and stir until just combined. This cake batter tastes REALLY good….not that I ate it by the spoonful or anything…

Side note: if you want to sub butter for oil, check out the notes at the bottom of the recipe. I think the butter tastes a little better. But, I used to eat straight up butter right out of the fridge when I was 3.

Step 4: Fill Tins and Bake

Spoon into prepared tins to be 3/4 full and bake 22 minutes for regular cupcakes and 12 minutes for minis. Cool completely before frosting.

Step 5: Make Frosting

In the meantime, whip some butter and orange zest up together and take a big whiff. Mmmmm….orange. Next, add orange juice and vanilla. Slowly stir in powdered sugar until it starts to mix in. Scrape sides and whip 30 seconds until light and fluffy.

Frost cupcakes and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

FAQs

Can I Make Ahead and Freeze Orange Cupcakes?

Yes you can! I would recommend freezing these in a freezer safe ziplock bag or container before frosting. When ready to use, let defrost completely and add whatever frosting you want! You can freeze with the frosting on, but it will be hard to keep them pretty through the process.

Can I Use Almond Milk?

Yes, you can use almond milk in this recipe. Doing so will not change the taste or texture of the cupcakes.

Can I Use Butter As a Substitute For Oil?

Using 1/2 cup softened butter in place of 1/2 cup oil is a great and tasty option. Whip butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in egg, zest, vanilla and almond extract. Alternate stirring in dry ingredients with milk, finishing with the dry. Scrape sides and mix again briefly. Spoon into pans and bake as usual.

More Cupcake Recipes to Try!

• Vanilla Cupcakes
• Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Mousse Frosting
• Vegan Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy your Easter weekend full of good food like these orange cupcakes and these little nests. Have a good one, friends!

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Orange Cupcakes with Orange Frosting

These are Orange Cupcakes. Super light and refreshing with the perfect amount of sweetness. Top with frosting and sprinkles!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Easter Cupcakes, Orange Cupcakes, orange frosting

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes

Total Time 32 minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Calories 363kcal

Author Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients

for the cupcakes-

• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 egg

for the frosting-

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Stir with a fork to combine and make a large well in the center.
  
• Pour in orange zest, milk, vanilla, almond extract, egg and oil into the well and stir until just combined.
  
• Spoon into prepared tins to be 3/4 full and bake 22 minutes for regular cupcakes and 12 minutes for minis. Cool completely before frosting.
  
• To make the frosting, whip butter, orange juice, zest, and vanilla together. Slowly stir in powdered sugar until it starts to mix in. Scrape sides and whip 30 seconds until light and fluffy. Frost cupcakes and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
  

Notes

*Using 1/2 cup softened butter in place of 1/2 cup oil is a great and tasty option. Whip butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in egg, zest, vanilla and almond extract. Alternate stirring in dry ingredients with milk, finishing with the dry. Scrape sides and mix again briefly. Spoon into pans and bake as usual.

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 58mg | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 275IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 0.7mg

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