These moist and delicious Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes are the best I’ve ever tasted! I topped them with Cream Cheese Frosting and fondant music themed decorations {for a Spectacular Operatic Performance}!
This past weekend was Paul’s eldest daughter’s Senior Recital. She is a vocal performance and business major in college and one amazingly talented young lady!
Every Senior has a recital and are in charge of planning the whole thing. Which meant food and refreshments were needed for the reception following the performance. Her Mom made an assortment of delicious deli style sandwiches, tortellini caprese skewers and a cheese and cracker platter. I was in charge of making a sweet treat so I made a giant platter of cupcakes with music themed decorations. She requested her favorite Cookie Dough Cupcakes. I also made my famous Chocolate Cupcakes with ganache filling and topped with a cream cheese frosting. Finally some simple Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes finished off the assortment so there was something to please everyones palate.
The recital was one Spectacular Operatic Performance which included pieces from Mozart, Strauss, Rachmaninoff, Poulenc, Ricky Ian Gordon and Leonard Bernstein. It was one of those nights where you just wished that everyone you know could have been there to hear this amazing performance too!
Here’s a link to her performance a couple months ago where she played the part of the Queen in “The Magic Flute”. Enjoy!
Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes {for a Spectacular Operatic Performance}
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 1/4 Cups Vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 Cups Sugar
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 Tablespoon Pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 Cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 Cup Cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 Cups Sour cream
For the cream cheese frosting
- 1 ,8 ounce package Cream cheese, softened
- 2 Sticks Unsalted butter ,softened
- 4-5 Cups Confectioner sugar (add enough so that the frosting is not soupy and can hold its shape when piped)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Line 24 + standard cupcake tins with cupcake liners. (Makes a little more than 24 cupcakes)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment cream together oil and sugar for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add eggs on at a time mixing well between each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and mix well.
- In a separate bowl sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet. Scrape sides of the bowl and mix on low for about 1 minute.
- Add the sour cream and mix just enough to incorporate, about 30 seconds.
- Fill each cupcake liner with about 1/4 cup of batter and bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Cool completely and frost with cream cheese frosting.
For the cream cheese frosting
- Cream butter and cream cheese together on high speed for 3-5 minutes until fluffy. Add confectioner sugar a little at a time and mix well. Mix in the vanilla. Test consistency and add more confectioner sugar if needed.
Nutrition
I hope you enjoy these Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes and the Spectacular Operatic Performance by Paul’s amazing daughter!
Here are some other delicious cupcake recipes for you to try! Just click on the picture below for the recipe.
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I will be sharing this recipe at the following link parties:
Christina says
I have never made a vanilla cupcake from scratch that I liked, i’m totally trying these! Thanks for posting!
Nicole Crocker says
They are delicious Christina! I have been trying out different Vanilla cupcake recipes for years now and they always end up either too dense or too dry. After lots of tweaking this one is a winner.
Mom says
What a perfect dessert to bring to the Performance! Love the way you topped them as well in keeping with “The Hart School of Music”
Marjie @ Home Again Jiggety-jig! says
These are lovely! How did you do the musical score on the fondant?
Nicole Crocker says
Thanks Marjie! I have a stamp that I brushed gel food coloring on and then pressed it on to hardened fondant to make the impression.