Indulge in Perfection: The Ultimate Fluffy Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe
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Prepare to fall in love with these incredibly soft and fluffy Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes. This recipe delivers a delightful treat that’s not only bursting with flavor but also surprisingly easy to create, making it perfect for bakers of all skill levels. The vanilla cupcakes are renowned for their remarkably light and airy texture, providing a delicate base that perfectly complements the rich, velvety smooth chocolate buttercream. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of classic flavors and melt-in-your-mouth goodness that will leave you craving more.
These exquisite Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes are an absolute crowd-pleaser. Their irresistible taste and charming appearance make them an ideal choice for any celebratory occasion, from vibrant birthday parties and heartwarming family gatherings to elegant baby showers or simple weekend treats. You’ll find they disappear remarkably fast, often prompting requests for seconds! What makes this recipe even more fantastic is its adaptability: you can easily double or even triple the ingredients to accommodate a larger guest list without compromising on quality or flavor. This ensures you always have enough of these delectable cupcakes to share, no matter the event.
Crafting these cupcakes is a quick and straightforward process, proving that homemade doesn’t have to mean complicated. The foundation is a super soft, moist vanilla cupcake, which serves as the perfect canvas for the star of the show: a luscious chocolate buttercream. This buttercream isn’t just smooth; it’s exceptionally silky and decadent, thanks to a special technique involving homemade chocolate ganache. This method gives the frosting an unparalleled depth of flavor and a wonderfully smooth consistency that pipes beautifully and tastes divine.
If you’re looking to expand your cupcake repertoire beyond this delightful duo, we have more fantastic recipes for you to explore. Indulge in the rich sweetness of our White Chocolate Cupcakes, savor the warm spice of Cinnamon Cupcakes, or awaken your senses with the aromatic Coffee Cupcakes. Each recipe offers a unique flavor experience that’s sure to impress.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
This Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes recipe stands out for several key reasons, guaranteeing a successful and delicious outcome every time:
- Vanilla Cupcakes: Our vanilla cupcakes are crafted to be exceptionally soft, tender, and incredibly delicious. They boast a light, airy crumb that melts in your mouth, achieved through a careful balance of ingredients and precise mixing techniques. This ensures a delicate texture that’s never dense or dry, providing the perfect foundation for the rich chocolate topping. The hint of vanilla bean paste adds an extra layer of gourmet flavor, elevating these beyond ordinary cupcakes.
- Silky Smooth Chocolate Buttercream: The star topping of these cupcakes is undoubtedly the chocolate buttercream. It’s incredibly silky, smooth, and rich, offering a luxurious mouthfeel that perfectly complements the light vanilla cake. Unlike many buttercreams that can be overly sweet or gritty, ours achieves its extraordinary texture and deep chocolate flavor by incorporating a homemade chocolate ganache. This method results in a stable, pipeable frosting that’s intensely chocolaty and utterly irresistible.
- Perfect for Any Celebration: These cupcakes are inherently festive and versatile, making them an excellent choice for any gathering or special occasion. Whether you’re planning a birthday party, a baby shower, a family reunion, holiday celebrations, or even just an afternoon tea, their classic appeal and delightful taste make them universally loved. They are easy to transport, serve, and always disappear quickly, proving their popularity time and time again.
ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT NOTES FOR SUCCESS
Understanding the role of each key ingredient is vital for achieving the perfect Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes. Below, we’ve highlighted some important notes for the main components. For a complete list with exact measurements, please refer to the detailed recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Eggs: Using room temperature eggs is crucial for a smooth, homogenous batter. Cold eggs can cause the butter to seize up, leading to a lumpy mixture and a denser cupcake. To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, place them in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes before you begin baking. This helps them emulsify better with other ingredients, contributing to a lighter and more uniform crumb.
- Vegetable Oil: The addition of a neutral-flavored oil, such as canola oil, is a game-changer for cupcake texture. Oil contributes to an incredibly moist and tender crumb that stays soft for longer, even when refrigerated. Unlike butter, which can make cakes denser when cold, oil remains liquid, ensuring your cupcakes retain their delightful softness.
- Butter: Butter is used in both the vanilla cupcakes and the chocolate buttercream, providing rich flavor and structure. For the cupcakes, ensure your butter is at room temperature to cream properly with the sugar, incorporating air for a light texture. For the buttercream, slightly cooler room temperature butter is often preferred to achieve the ideal consistency for whipping. Again, allow butter to soften outside the fridge for 1-2 hours depending on your kitchen’s temperature.
- Sour Cream (18% fat): Sour cream is a secret weapon for achieving a super soft, moist, and tender cupcake. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda, promoting a light and airy texture, while its fat content adds richness and moisture. Using an 18% fat sour cream provides the best results for both flavor and texture. Like the eggs and butter, allowing sour cream to come to room temperature ensures it blends seamlessly into the batter.
- Cocoa Powder: For the most intense and rich chocolate flavor in your buttercream, we highly recommend using a high-quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa has been treated with an alkali to neutralize its acidity, resulting in a darker color and a smoother, less bitter chocolate flavor compared to natural cocoa powder. Valrhona is an excellent choice for its superior quality and deep, rich taste.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: The foundation of our luxurious chocolate buttercream is quality semi-sweet chocolate. This type of chocolate provides a balanced sweetness and bitterness that prevents the buttercream from becoming overly sugary. Using a good quality chocolate will significantly impact the depth of flavor and smoothness of your ganache, which in turn creates the silkiest buttercream.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS – VANILLA CUPCAKES
Follow these detailed steps to create perfectly baked, soft, and fluffy vanilla cupcakes, ready to be topped with our decadent chocolate buttercream. For this recipe, you’ll benefit from using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a reliable hand mixer. You will also need a 12-cup cupcake pan and a set of cupcake liners to ensure easy baking and cleanup.
The comprehensive ingredient list and full recipe details can be found in the recipe card below.
Before you begin: Preheat your oven to 160ºC (320ºF) in a conventional oven setting. Line a 12-cup cupcake tray with 12 cupcake liners, preparing them for the batter.
STEP 1: In a medium bowl, carefully sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sifting helps to remove any lumps and ensures these dry ingredients are evenly distributed, leading to a lighter, more uniform cupcake texture. Set this mixture aside for later use.
STEP 2: In the bowl of your stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, combine the softened butter and granulated sugar. Beat this mixture on medium-high speed for approximately 3 minutes. You’re looking for a light, fluffy, and pale-yellow mixture. This creaming process incorporates air, which is crucial for the cupcakes’ airy texture. Next, add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. This prevents the mixture from curdling and ensures a smooth batter.
STEP 3: Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl to ensure all ingredients are well combined. Gradually add the reserved dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until *just* combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in tough cupcakes. Finally, incorporate the room temperature sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste. Mix again on low speed until these liquid ingredients are just blended into the batter. Overmixing at this stage can also lead to a dense crumb.
STEP 4: Using a rubber spatula, give the cake batter a final, gentle fold by hand. This ensures that any ingredients clinging to the bottom or sides of the bowl are fully incorporated without overdeveloping the gluten. Evenly divide the prepared cake batter among the 12 cupcake liners, filling each approximately two-thirds of the way full. This allows room for the cupcakes to rise without overflowing. Bake them in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until a cake tester (like a toothpick) inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, indicating they are fully baked and moist inside. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS – SILKY CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
This chocolate buttercream is exceptionally smooth and rich, thanks to the ganache base. Follow these steps carefully to achieve the perfect consistency for piping onto your cooled vanilla cupcakes.
STEP 1: Begin by making your chocolate ganache. Combine the chopped dark chocolate and heavy cream in a heatproof bowl. You can melt them together over a bain-marie (a pot of simmering water) or in the microwave, heating in 20-30 second intervals, stirring well after each. Stir until the mixture is completely smooth and uniform. This ganache needs to cool down to body temperature before being added to the buttercream. If it’s too hot, it will melt the butter; if it’s too cold, it might cause the buttercream to seize. While the ganache cools, sift together your powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a separate bowl. Sifting prevents lumps and ensures a smooth buttercream.
STEP 2: In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cool room-temperature butter on medium-high speed for a full 4 minutes. This process aerates the butter, making it light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl thoroughly with a spatula, then continue mixing for another 2 minutes. This ensures all the butter is evenly whipped.
STEP 3: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the vanilla extract, then gradually incorporate the sifted cocoa powder and powdered sugar in two portions. Mix slowly until each addition is fully incorporated into the butter. Once all the dry ingredients are added, stop the mixer, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again to catch any unmixed ingredients, and then mix for another 2 minutes on low to medium speed. This helps to make the buttercream extra smooth and light.
STEP 4: With the mixer still on low speed, slowly pour in the cooled melted dark chocolate ganache. Mix until it is fully incorporated and the buttercream is uniform in color and texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl one last time and give it a final mix to ensure everything is perfectly blended. If your buttercream feels too soft at this point, you can place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes, then re-whip it until it reaches a pipeable consistency. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 2D piping tip (or your preferred decorating tip). Pipe generous swirls of the chocolate buttercream onto the completely cooled vanilla cupcakes. Finish by sprinkling with your favorite decorative sprinkles for an extra touch of festivity.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR PERFECT CUPCAKES
Achieving bakery-quality cupcakes at home is easier than you think with these professional insights. Incorporating these tips into your baking routine will elevate your results and ensure consistently delicious treats.
- Use a Kitchen Scale for Precision: The single most impactful change you can make to improve your baking accuracy is to use a kitchen scale. Our recipes are designed with grams as the default unit for a reason: it’s the most precise way to measure ingredients. Volume measurements (cups, spoons) can vary wildly depending on how ingredients are packed, leading to inconsistencies. A kitchen scale eliminates this variability, ensuring you use the exact amount of each ingredient every time, which translates to a perfectly balanced and consistent product. Invest in a good digital scale – it will transform your baking!
- Do Not Overmix Your Batter: Overmixing is one of the most common pitfalls in baking, especially for cakes and cupcakes. Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, mix only until no streaks of flour remain. Continuing to mix develops the gluten in the flour, which leads to a tough, chewy, and dense cupcake, rather than the desired light and tender crumb. After using your mixer, it’s always a good practice to use a rubber spatula to give the batter one final, gentle fold by hand. This ensures that all ingredients at the very bottom or clinging to the sides of the mixing bowl are fully incorporated without overworking the batter.
- Light vs. Dark Baking Pans: The type of baking pan you use can significantly affect the outcome of your cupcakes. For the best result, we highly recommend using an aluminum baking pan. These pans are light in color, which means they reflect heat rather than absorbing it. This allows your cupcakes to bake more gently and evenly, resulting in a softer, moister crumb with a lighter crust. Dark-colored baking pans, on the other hand, absorb more heat. While they can produce a darker crust and sometimes a slightly faster bake, they can also lead to a drier, tougher cupcake due to the increased heat absorption, especially around the edges. If you must use a dark pan, consider reducing your oven temperature by 25°F (about 15°C) and keeping a closer eye on baking time.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CUPCAKES
Absolutely! This recipe is highly adaptable for mini cupcakes. Simply follow the recipe as written, but adjust your baking time. Mini cupcakes typically bake much faster, so start checking for doneness around 8-10 minutes. Insert a cake tester or toothpick into the center; if it comes out clean, they are ready. Remember to use mini cupcake liners and a mini cupcake pan.
Yes, these cupcakes are excellent for making ahead! Both the unfrosted cupcakes and the finished, frosted cupcakes store well. Unfrosted cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. If frosted, they are best enjoyed within 1-2 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer storage of frosted cupcakes, see the detailed storage tips below.
The most reliable method is the cake tester trick. Once the suggested baking time in the recipe has passed, gently insert a thin cake tester, toothpick, or skewer into the very center of one of the cupcakes. If it comes out clean, with no wet batter clinging to it, your cupcakes are perfectly baked. If you see wet crumbs, bake for a few more minutes and test again. Avoid overbaking, as this can lead to dry cupcakes.
Yes, while semi-sweet chocolate is recommended for a balanced flavor, you can experiment. For a richer, more intense chocolate flavor, use dark chocolate (60-70% cacao). For a sweeter, milder chocolate taste, milk chocolate can be used, though you might need to adjust the powdered sugar slightly to prevent it from becoming too sweet. Ensure you use good quality chocolate chips or bars for best melting and flavor results.
Buttercream consistency is often temperature-dependent. If it’s too soft, your butter might have been too warm, or the ganache wasn’t sufficiently cooled. Try placing the bowl in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, then re-whipping it. If it’s too stiff, it might be too cold or you’ve added too much powdered sugar. You can add a very small amount (1 teaspoon at a time) of heavy cream or milk and mix until it reaches the desired consistency. Ensure your butter is at a cool room temperature and your ganache is at body temperature when combining.
STORAGE TIPS FOR FRESHNESS
To keep your Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes tasting their best, proper storage is essential. Store the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. This helps to maintain their moisture and prevents the buttercream from drying out or absorbing external odors. For optimal flavor and texture, it is recommended to enjoy these cupcakes within 1-2 days of baking and frosting. Beyond this, while still safe to eat, the texture and freshness may start to diminish slightly. If storing for longer periods, consider placing them in the refrigerator, but remember to bring them back to room temperature before serving for the best taste and softest buttercream. Freezing unfrosted cupcakes is also an excellent option for longer-term storage.
Other Delicious Cupcake Recipes To Try
If you loved these Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes, be sure to explore more delightful creations from our collection. Each recipe is crafted to bring joy to your kitchen and your taste buds!
- Salted Caramel Cupcakes
- Apple Pie Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream and Apple Pie Filling
- 25 Best Summer Dessert Ideas
- Biscoff Cupcakes
Did you fall in love with this recipe? Make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW below to let us know! We’d also love to see your creations – tag us on Instagram @juliemarieeats. For more baking inspiration and delicious ideas, be sure to follow us on Pinterest!
Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes
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Equipment
- 12-cup cupcake pan
- Cupcake liners
- Piping bag
- 2D Wilton piping tip or any other piping tip
Ingredients
VANILLA CUPCAKES
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 70 g butter room temperature
- 210 g granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 150 g sour cream 18% room temperature
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil e.g. canola oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
- 100 g dark chocolate
- 75 g heavy cream
- 100 g butter cool room temperature
- 175 g powdered sugar
- 10 g dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
VANILLA CUPCAKES
- Preheat your oven to 160ºC (320ºF) in a conventional oven setting. Line a 12-cup cupcake tray with 12 cupcake liners. This preparation ensures your oven is at the correct temperature and your baking pan is ready when the batter is mixed.
- In a medium bowl, carefully sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sifting is important for a lump-free batter and ensures an even rise in your cupcakes. Set the bowl aside.200 g all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, add the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This process is called creaming and incorporates air for a tender crumb.70 g butter, 210 g granulated sugar
- Add the large, room-temperature eggs one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed after each addition until just combined. Adding eggs slowly prevents the batter from curdling and ensures a smooth consistency.3 large eggs
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are evenly mixed. Then, gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, continuing to mix on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing, as this can lead to dense cupcakes.
- Finally, incorporate the room-temperature sour cream (18% fat), vegetable oil (such as canola oil), vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste. Mix on low speed until these ingredients are just blended into the batter. Again, be careful not to overmix, as this can negatively affect the final texture of the cupcakes.150 g sour cream 18%, 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Using a rubber spatula, give the batter a final gentle fold by hand. This ensures that any unmixed ingredients from the bottom or sides of the bowl are fully incorporated without overworking the gluten.
- Divide the cupcake batter evenly into the 12 cupcake liners, filling each approximately two-thirds of the way full. This allows sufficient space for them to rise without spilling over. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the freshly baked cupcakes to cool in the cupcake pan for about 5 minutes. After this initial cooling, gently remove them from the tin and transfer them to a wire rack to cool down completely. This prevents the bottoms from becoming soggy and helps them firm up properly before frosting.
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
- To create the ganache base, melt the dark chocolate and heavy cream together. This can be done over a bain-marie (double boiler) or in the microwave using short bursts (20-30 seconds), stirring well after each. Once smooth, let the ganache cool down to body temperature. It is crucial that the ganache is not too hot, as it will melt your butter, and not too cold, as it can cause the buttercream to seize.100 g dark chocolate, 75 g heavy cream
- In a separate bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Sifting prevents lumps, ensuring a silky-smooth buttercream texture.175 g powdered sugar, 10 g dutch processed cocoa powder
- In your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, begin by creaming the cool room-temperature butter on medium-high speed for 4 minutes. This incorporates air and makes the butter light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl thoroughly, then continue mixing for an additional 2 minutes to ensure even whipping.100 g butter
- With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla extract and gradually incorporate the sifted cocoa powder and powdered sugar in two portions. Mix until each addition is fully incorporated. Once all dry ingredients are in, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for another 2 minutes on low to medium speed to ensure extreme smoothness and lightness.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Finally, add the cooled melted dark chocolate ganache to the buttercream mixture. Mix on low speed until it is completely incorporated and the buttercream is uniform in color and texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it one more thorough mix to ensure perfect blending.
- Tip for perfect consistency: If your buttercream feels too soft or runny after all ingredients are combined, place the entire mixing bowl in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes. Then, remove it and give it a good mix again with your paddle attachment until it reaches a firm yet pipeable consistency.
- Before piping, use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to hand-beat the buttercream vigorously for a minute or two. This step is crucial for removing any air bubbles that might have formed during mixing, resulting in a super smooth and luscious buttercream that pipes beautifully.
- Transfer the perfectly smooth chocolate buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your desired tip (a Wilton 2D piping tip creates beautiful swirls). Pipe generous swirls of frosting onto your completely cooled vanilla cupcakes. Finish by scattering festive sprinkles over the top for an extra touch of charm and texture.
- Serve these delectable cupcakes on the same day for the freshest experience. If you have leftovers, they can be stored well in an airtight container at room temperature on the kitchen counter for 1-2 days, retaining their delightful softness and flavor.