Basic Butter Cupcakes (With Variations)

Prep: 20 min
Bake: 25 min
Yield: 20 cupcakes
Ingredients
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup white granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temp.
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups sifted Swans Down Cake Flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup milk
Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Butter & lightly flour 20 muffin cups or place paper liners in cups.

SIFT Swans Down Cake Flour once, measure, add baking powder and salt, sift once; set aside.

CREAM butter & sugar until light and fluffy; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

ADD flour mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

SPOON batter into prepared muffin cups, about 2/3 full.

BAKE about 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan, cool completely on wire racks.

TOP with desired frosting.

Variations:

Chocolate Cupcakes: Fold 3 ounces of melted semisweet chocolate into batter.

Spice Cupcakes: Sift these into dry ingredients: ½ tsp. ground cinnamon & ¼ tsp. each ground nutmeg, ginger & cloves.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes: Replace 1/3 cup of the Swans Down Cake Flour with 1/3 cup of peanut butter powder. Sift the peanut butter powder along with the other dry ingredients.

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    • Hi Kelsi,
      I will send you the recipe via email. Please be on the lookout for it. Happy Holidays and Happy Baking!

    • Hi Deborah, Here's one of our favorite White Cake Recipes:

      WHITE CAKE (two 8 inch round layer pans)
      2 cups sifted Swans Down Cake Flour
      ¾ tsp. salt
      1 cup sugar
      1 teaspoon vanilla
      ¾ cup milk
      2 ½ tsp. baking powder
      ¼ cup sugar
      ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.
      3 large egg whites

      Preheat oven 350°F. Butter & lightly flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Sift Swans Down Cake Flour once, measure, add 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt, sift again. Beat egg whites at high speed until foamy. Add ¼ cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until egg whites form stiff shiny peaks.

      Stir butter to soften, add flour mixture, milk and vanilla. Mix until all flour is moistened; then beat 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add meringue mixture and beat 1 minute longer. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake about 20–25 minutes or until cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes; then remove from pans and finish cooling on racks.

      Alternate baking pans:

      One 13 X 9-inch pan for 25 minutes
      One 9-inch square pan for 25 minutes

  • I love Swans Cake Flour. I discovered it a few years ago when a recipe for chocolate chip cookies called for cake flour (maybe some of you know this recipe? It’s become quite popular and it’s amazing. I think due to the cake flour!)
    I’m looking to make these cupcakes. Wondering if I can use 2% milk as I never have whole milk on hand. I do always have half and half. Appreciate any guidance!

    • Hi Kathy, Your information was forwarded to our Consumer Affairs Department. Someone will be sharing white cake recipes with you. Happy baking!

  • These are the best cupcakes I’ve ever made. The taste is light, yet fluffy. Oh so good. My new go-to cupcake recipe. It’s also nice to know they are light on the gluten.

    • Hi Pamela, You can substitute whole milk with coconut milk with no other adjustments necessary. We have not tested this recipe using Splenda or a sugar alternative. You would have to check with Splenda to see what the conversion would be. We'd love to know the results. Happy baking!

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