Vanilla cupcakes with white chocolate icing
They may look pretty and delicate – but I can tell you, grown men have been known to moan with delight tasting these cupcakes. They’re a winner. I’ve taken ‘icing’ to a whole new level and put nearly a whole block of white chocolate in there, for the ultimate in decadence.
Prep time – 30 minutes
Cooking time – 20-40 minutes
Makes 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
225g butter, at room temperature
2 cups caster sugar
3 free range eggs, at room temperature
3 teaspoons natural vanilla essence (or paste)
2 ½ cups plain flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups milk
Icing
200ml cream
200g white chocolate, chopped
4 1/2 cups icing sugar
Raspberry jelly crystals, to sprinkle (optional – or use sprinkles)
Method
Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 170c regular bake (160c fan bake). Line 2 x standard 12-pan muffin tins with cupcake liners (you may need to do in two batches).
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized bowl, stir to combine with a whisk, and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar with an electric beater (or cake mixer) on a medium speed for about 7 minutes – it needs to turn very pale and fluffy. Scrape the sides clean with a spatula.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on a medium speed for 30 seconds between each addition. Scrape down the sides again. Add the vanilla essence and beat for another 15 seconds.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then beat on a low speed for about 10 seconds or so, until just combined and smooth. Add 1/3 of the milk, and do the same. Repeat these two steps until all the flour mixture and milk is used up – remembering to scrape down the sides again as you go. At the end, the mixture should be nice and smooth.
Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners ¾ full, and bake in middle of the oven for about 18 – 20 minutes – or until they only just turn golden on top. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
Icing
You can either melt the white chocolate and cream in a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, or add to a large glass or ceramic bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute 20 seconds. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.
Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Sift in the icing sugar and beat on a medium speed for a minute until thick and creamy. Pipe or spread the icing on to cupcakes, and sprinkle with the jelly crystals.
NOTE ABOUT ICING: If the icing seems too thick, you can thin it down by beating in more cream, a tbsp at a time until it’s right. If it’s too thin, you can add more icing sugar.
These are possibly some of the best cupcakes I have every tried, very balanced in flavour, fluffy, and easy. Totally recommend will keep this recipe for a long time
These are very delicious. Next time I’m going to put the mixture into cake tins and put jam and cream in the middle like a sponge.
Thanks Chelsea. These are my go to recipe for all birthdays, parties etc. I’m making a batch tonight for my daughter to take to her last day at kindy. Never had a batch go wrong.
Hi there, recommended cooking time for mini cupcakes?? Thanks.
Hey Chelsea. Thank you I love your recipes. Can you do le this batch even though its already makes 24? Or should I do two different batches… wanting to make like close to 100!
Could these also be turned into mini cupcakes? Want to make for my daughters daycare but don’t want to sugar overload the teachers ????
Yes just reduce the cooking time slightly x
Hi Chelsea. Can I use this recipe for a cake instead of cupcakes?
Yes, adjust the cooking time x
Will this recipe work as one cake? If so would cooking time be different? Thank you x
I made just the cupcakes in this recipe and OMG they are the best I’ve ever had! So light and fluffy and delicious!
I admit, I adulterated the recipe, to make it dairy free and it was still amazing. I used Olivani instead of butter and rice milk instead of milk and they were still perfection. One of my friends said they were the best thing I’ve ever made them! 100% top of my fav baking list now.
Thanks Chelsea!
Wow thanks Chelsea these are awesome. Do you think you could use this recipe for a stacked cake as well? Thanks
Hi Chelsea, do you think the icing would whip up nicely for whipped ganache to pipe onto the cupcakes?
Tried these and they were fantastic! If I wanted to make one cake from this recipe, what size cake tin would you suggest please?
Wow! Just made the icing for an orange cake. I think i just died.
I have plenty of icing left over, how long does it last in the fridge? Or can i freeze it?
Hi Chelsea, Can you make a cake instead of cupcakes with this mixture?
Hi Chelsea what is the best chocolate to use for the icing please
Hi, could these be made into lemon cupcakes, would I add lemon juice and reduce milk?
Looking forward to trying these!! Just wondering, Is the Icing quite sweet with white chocolate and Icing sugar?
I’m going give these a whirl this week. Just wanted to confirm that it’s unsalted butter??
Thanks x
yes x
Hi there,
Do you think this icing would be ok on a cake?? I’m wanting to make a chocolate cake but need a white icing for the decorating (and I can’t stand buttercream).
Thanks :)
yes!
Thanks Chelsea, these are perfect! I was already a fan girl and now you have gifted me a go to cupcake recipe! You rock!
Could you use milk instead of cream for the icing?
These are the best vanilla cupcakes ever! Would it be easy to make the recipe gluten free?? :)
Yes, by using a GF flour mix with no raising agents – maybe just a touch less than standard flour.
Hi Chelsea,
What measurements would you recommend for the GF flour if you’re making these gluten free?
Thanks :)
Can this recipe be used as a cake instead?
Oh my goodness! Delicious! Light and fluffy. I made these with my 3 year and they have turned out brilliantly – thank you! They smelled so good, we had to have a taste before icing them, and they were heavenly just as they are.
We will definitely be making these again.
I have made these twice and they were delicious but while cooking some of them seemed to create ‘volcanoes’ and overflow! I didn’t overfill the cases.
Perhaps the oven is too hot?
I made 140 of these for a wedding and they turned out so beautifully. Just wondering which cookbook they’re in (they’re not in the one I own)? I’d love to own a hard copy.
They’re actually not in one – yet!
Hi Chelsea, I plan on making these for my son’s birthday – I’ll need to bake the cakes the night before, should I leave icing them until the day of the party? Could I make the icing the night before but just leave it in the fridge? Thanks!
You can ice the night before x
Hi Chelsea – you reckon this would work ok as a whole cake rather than cupcakes?
Hi Chelsea, just wondering what might be causing my ones to kind of sink in the middle? TIA! :)
They might need more cooking!
How do you make these come out moist?
Hi Chelsea, can I use this recipe to make a vanilla cake instead of cupcakes? Many thanks.
Hi Chelsea, can I make this recipe into a cake instead of cupcakes?
Hi! Can you use oil instead of butter at all?
Hi can I make the icing without icing chocolate?- like white ganache ?
Hi can I make the icing without the icing sugar? So it is more like a ganache made with white chocolate ?