Classic Cupcakes

Classic Cupcakes are a timeless treat everyone loves! Make tender cupcakes using Swans Down® Cake Flour, then top with fluffy cream cheese icing and decorate with fruit, sprinkles, or chocolate for a perfect dessert.

Prep: 15 min
Bake: 25 min
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 cups Swans Down® Cake Flour, sifted before measuring
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup boiling water

Cream Cheese Icing

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 teaspoons heavy cream, room temperature
  • 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
  2. Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and beat until completely combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
  4. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternating with adding the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. Add vanilla and boiling water and continue to beat the batter on medium speed until smooth.
  5. Pour batter into the lined cupcake pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cream Cheese Icing for Classic Cupcakes

  1. Mix cream cheese and sugar at low speed with an electric mixer.
  2. Add heavy cream and vanilla extract and mix at high speed until fluffy.
  3. Chill in refrigerator until slightly stiff. Spread on cooled cupcakes and decorate with your choice of topping such as edible flowers, fresh fruit, grated chocolate or candy sprinkles.
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  • Two questions...

    1.) What should I do to make these chocolate cupcakes?

    2.) Why did you change the recipe? The recipe I downloaded/printed years ago uses 1 tsp. baking soda (no baking powder) & 1/2 cup hot water (not boiling).

    • Hey Melissa,
      1.) The easiest fix is to swap ¼ cup of the 1 ½ cups flour for ¼ cup cocoa powder, then add about 2 to 3 tablespoons extra sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons extra buttermilk (cocoa soaks up more liquid and adds bitterness, so this keeps things moist and balanced). Leave everything else butter, egg, leavening, vanilla, boiling water as is. Personally I think the better option would be to use Chocolate Cupcakes with German Buttercream recipe on the site. It is designed specifically around cocoa powder. If you would rather not use German Buttercream there are many other options.

      Here is the link: https://swansdown.com/recipes/chocolate-cupcakes-with-german-buttercream/

      Here is the link to all of our frostings, fillings and icings: https://swansdown.com/recipe-categories/frosting/#archive-categories

      2.) It changed when back in 2022 a few bakers told us the batter was coming out too thin/soupy with the old version, so we retested and adjusted the leavening, going from 1 tsp baking soda alone to a 1/2 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp baking powder combo, and bumping the water from hot to boiling. That combo gives a firmer batter and a more consistent rise, which is what folks were running into with the older version.

      Hope that helps! Happy Baking!

    • Hi Debra
      I will send you an email with a PDF copy of the recipe. It is definitely one of our most popular recipes. I hope you enjoy it. Happy Baking!

    • HI Ryan
      I will send you an email with a PDF copy of the recipe. It is definitely one of our most popular recipes. I hope you enjoy it. Happy Baking!

    • Colette, are you having trouble seeing the recipe? Please let us know.In the meantime, I will send you a PDF version via email.
      Thank you for reaching out to us. Happy Baking!

    • HI Haley,
      I sent you a PDF version of the recipe via email. Please be on the lookout for it.
      Happy Baking and enjoy!

    • Hi Sharon, This recipe can surely be used to make a layer cake. One recipe would yield 1 - 9 inch layer. Happy baking!

    • Hi Elisha, This recipe can definitely be doubled to make 24 cupcakes. Simply double all of the ingredients and bake according to the directions. You should not have to adjust the bake time. Happy baking!

    • Hi Pat, You an use low-fat and whole buttermilk interchangeably without great differences in the final baked good. Happy baking!

  • Tried recipe today and cupcakes came out mushy in the middle. followed recipe exactly as written. disappointed

    • Hi Debbie, We are sorry to hear that you were disappointed with the Classic Cupcake recipe. Your information was forwarded to our Consumer Relations Department. Someone will be reaching out. Happy baking1

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