The Ankle Biter Eats!

With my daughter’s birthday coming up, I’ve been scouring my cookbooks for just the right white cupcake recipe. I wasn’t completely happy with the Lemon Meringue cupcakes that I made last year, so I decided to test a few recipes beforehand. The vanilla cupcake recipe which I think came from the Magnolia Bakery’s cookbook, was too sugary for me, and didn’t have the moist and light texture that I was looking for.

I got a copy of Cooks Illustrated The New Best Recipe, and tried their Best Cupcake Recipe which makes a golden cupcake. I liked it, but the cupcakes were both dry and a little too eggy.

Then I tried a modification of a recipe that I found online, and I’m perfectly satisfied. The cake is snowy white, and moist and crumbly, and the flavour is delicious. The cupcakes tasted just as good the next day, and although there weren’t any more after that, I bet they would have been good the day after too.

My Favourite White Cupcake Recipe
- adapted from Aliece Well’s Lemon Cheese Layer Cake Recipe

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups cake flour, not self-rising, preferably Swan’s Down
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line regular-size muffin tins with 12 paper cups (fill empty cups partially with water).

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar, beating on medium speed until lightened, 3 to 4 minutes; scrape down sides once or twice. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and milk, a little of each at a time, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice.

Follow the cake recipe preparation; pour batter into the cups, filling each 3/4 full. Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool.