It’s a classic combination that is sure to please everyone: vanilla bean-speckled cupcakes topped with a simple chocolate buttercream frosting.
To answer your question: Yes. More cupcakes.
Lately I seem to be focusing a lot on dessert, aren’t I? I would say that I am sorry, but that would mean that I would need to stop, and I have no plans of doing that any time soon.
Can’t stop, won’t stop.
I’ll make it up to you with a pancake recipe on Wednesday. Granted, pancakes aren’t a huge departure from cupcakes, aside from the fact that it is socially acceptable to eat them for breakfast, but we’ll overlook that fact for now.
These cupcakes are the counterpart to last week’s Easy Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream recipe. I almost didn’t share them with you, but after realizing that I have been running this site for almost 2 1/2 years and had yet to post a classic vanilla cake recipe, much less a classic chocolate frosting recipe, I really thought I owed it to all of us to share.
I know I’m magnanimous. No need to tell me.
I also know that vanilla beans tend to cost the same amount as an arm, leg, or small child. I would be lying if I told you that I use them all the time, because honestly, using even one feels like I am throwing away gold. I have found that a much more practical and affordable option is to use vanilla bean paste (I keep Nielsen-Massey’s on hand at all times). If you happen to be like me (read: an adult who can’t help but channel her inner six-year-old at the most inconvenient times), it is also a less messy option than splitting vanilla beans.
Make these classic cupcakes next time you’re craving a classic sweet snack. Share them with someone you love – they’ll love you right back.
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 vanilla bean split and beans scraped out OR 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
For the frosting:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup half-and-half
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Make the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with liners; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until pale yellow. Add the butter, vanilla bean (or paste), and buttermilk; beat until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until smooth. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into each cupcake liner. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the pan and allow to cool on a rack completely before frosting.
Make the frosting:
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Sift 2 cups of the powdered sugar and the cocoa powder into the bowl; add the half-and-half and vanilla and beat until combined. Sift the remaining powdered sugar into the frosting, beating until fluffy. Add more powdered sugar or half-and-half as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Spread or pipe frosting on to cupcakes.
Vanilla beans from beanilla aren’t too expensive!
and I LOOVE how classic and perfect but still extra special this recipe is! mmmmm vanilla bean cupcakes
It’s hard to beat a classic, isn’t it? Yum.
I prefer using vanilla bean paste over vanilla beans any ol’ day because of the tediousness of scraping those expensive-as-gold suckers clean! Can’t wait to try N-M vanilla products and make deeelish vanilla bean cupcakes. These are so gorgeous, my dear and I’m so glad you shared them!!
Scraping the beans is SO tedious! Let’s leave that job to the pros at NMV, huh?
Who doesn’t like dessert? I just bought a whole bunch of vanilla beans, and am looking for delicious recipes to make. This looks perfect!
You know the terrifying real answer to that question? My boyfriend doesn’t like dessert. GASP. The awful horror. Oh well…more for me. 😉
I’m all about the vanilla bean paste. It just makes sense for the money. I say hell yeah to more cupcakes. What beauties these cupcakes are.
Thank you! And I adore my vanilla bean paste – you can’t beat it!
These look like comforting, delicious heaven. But I know they’d be just that little bit more special, because of the intensity of the vanilla bean. Nailed it.
I think we should all sleep on heavenly cupcake pillows, don’t you?
Oh dang! I need to buy me some vanilla bean paste. Why the heck are vanilla beans sooooo expensive? Ugh! Don’t they know poor people need vanilla infused sweets to get through the day!
Seriously. It’s bonkers.