Reliable Vanilla Easter Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups cake flour (150 g)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder (5 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (1 g)
• 1/2 cup sugar (100 g)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (57 g)
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (28 g)
• 2 large eggs (100 g)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla (10 g)
• 1/2 cup whole milk (120 g)
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (170 g)
• 3 cups powdered sugar (360 g)
• 2 tablespoons milk (30 g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (5 g)
• Pastel coloring, sprinkles, coconut, candy eggs (90 g)

Instructions

1. Prepare pan. Heat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl until evenly combined.
2. Cream base. Beat sugar and 1/4 cup butter on medium until pale and fluffy, about two minutes. Beat in oil, then eggs one at a time, scraping bowl sides after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
3. Mix batter. Add one-third flour mixture on low speed, then half milk. Repeat once, ending with flour. Stop when no dry streaks remain; scrape bowl and fold batter once with a spatula.
4. Bake cupcakes. Fill liners two-thirds full, using a scoop for even portions. Bake 17 to 20 minutes, until tops spring back and a toothpick near center holds a few moist crumbs. Cool five minutes in pan, then transfer cupcakes to rack.
5. Make frosting. Beat 3/4 cup butter smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until light and pipeable, about two minutes. Divide frosting among bowls and tint portions pale pink, yellow, blue, or green.
6. Decorate cupcakes. Pipe or spread frosting on fully cooled cupcakes. Add coconut and two candy eggs for nests, pipe five petals around sprinkle centers for flowers, or make tall swirls and finish with pastel sprinkles. Arrange matching designs in neat rows.

Notes

• Spoon cake flour into the cup, level it, and use the listed weight when possible. Packed flour makes batter thicker and cupcakes less tender.
• If frosting softens while decorating, refrigerate the bowl for 10 minutes, then beat briefly until defined ridges return. If stiff, add milk gradually.
• A 3-tablespoon cookie scoop portions batter consistently, leaving space for rounded tops and preventing uneven baking across the pan.

Nutrition Facts