Perfect Yellow Cupcake with Fudge Icing
One of my most favorite desserts in the whole world is a yellow cake with chocolate icing. On the surface it seems so simple, yet do you realize how many different ways there are to make a yellow cake? I will admit I long for the taste, texture, and color of yellow box cakes but I can deal without all the extra unpronounceable ingredients. So, every few months I try to find a recipe that brings me back to the taste and texture of my favorite yellow box cakes. Over the years I don’t know how many recipes I’ve tried, but it’s been a bit ridiculous. Each cake I get a bit closer to what I am and the rest of my family are looking for in a cake. This particular recipe was inspired by The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe from Rockrecipes.com (see in my Construction/Trucks at Work Cake), and from techniques and recipes in the Cook’s Illustrated Baking Book*.
The other great thing about this recipe is that they can be regular, or mini-size cupcakes. I chose to serve mini cupcakes as a dessert one evening to family. This is great because it’s basically a “choose your size dessert adventure.” I sent in about three dozen mini-cupcakes into work with Dave, and the response to the mini cupcakes was overwhelming! You can enjoy a taste of dessert, without going way over the top.
What I wanted to change
The Best Vanilla Cake is indeed very very good, but it misses ever so slightly on two things. The cake is a bit dry, and the vanilla/buttery flavor just needs a tiny extra punch. I made this recipe a few months ago and it was beyond amazing! So I went to make it again for a Teacher Appreciation luncheon, alas, I could not decipher my own changes and guessed on my changes to the egg content. It tasted alright, but not amazing. So, I just had to try again, and well I nailed it! Many tears of joy!
Change the fat, ditch an egg white, and easier mixing
I looked to the Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake and Fluffy Yellow Cupcake recipes in the Baking Book* for some ideas. First, by making changes to the types of fat used, I could increase the moisture content of the cake. Instead of all butter, I substituted some oil in place of butter. America’s Test Kitchen suggested melting the butter as well, so I incorporated that technique as well. You might be able to substitute applesauce for oil (which is a favorite thing of mine to do, but I have not tried it in this recipe.)
For the final recipe, I decided to leave out a white instead of ditching the yolk. When I made these cupcakes a second time I couldn’t remember how I did the eggs, so I tried three eggs and one white figuring I would get some extra fluffiness that way. I did, but the flavor was not as rich. So the final time I made it with very clear directions I decided to skip a white and go with the yolk. The color and flavor were much better. (The yellowness of your cake depends a lot on how yellow your yolks are.)
Finally, Cook’s Illustrated noted an easier method for mixing cupcakes which I am all about since it does not require you to alternate wet and dry ingredients. Mix all the dry ingredients, followed by all the wet type ingredients. Voila! Sweet perfection!
*Post contains affiliate links. I get a few cents from any items you purchase, but I won’t know who from!
Perfect Yellow Cupcake with Fudge Icing
Ingredients
Yellow Cupcake
- 1½ cups cake or pastry flour
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 12 tablespoons of Butter melted and cooled
- 4 tablespoons Oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs + 1 yolk at room temperature
- 1 cup evaporated milk undiluted.
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
Fudge Icing
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick
- 3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Bowl of ice and water
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Sift cake flour and measure, sift all-purpose flour and measure.
- Sift both flours together, with baking powder and salt. Gently whisk, or place in mixer to aerate more.
- Add sugar to dry ingredients. Mix to combine.
- Combine melted butter and oil. Mix gently to combine.
- Add vanilla extract to butter/oil mixture.
- Mix butter and oil into dry ingredients.
- Add eggs and yolk one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Slowly add evaporated milk. Mix to combine.
- Portion into mini-cupcake tins or regular size cupcake tins. Fill to about 3/4 full, or 2/3 for a slightly shorter rise.Tap pans gently to release air bubbles.
- Bake 13-14 minutes for mini-cupcakes, or 15-20 minutes for regular size cupcakes, or until toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.
- Remove pans from oven and let rest for five minutes. Gently turn out cupcakes onto wire rack to cool.
Fudge Frosting
- In a medium sized pot, mix all ingredients together except vanilla.
- Heat frosting ingredients to a rolling boil, and stir occasionally.
- Boil for one minute without stirring.
- Place pot in bowl of ice and water.
- Beat frosting until smooth and spreadable. Add vanilla.
- Frost as desired.
- *IF icing becomes stiff or gritty, put back on heat for a 30 seconds to a minute and whisk until the gloss just starts to come back.
https://www.thesugarpixie.net/2015/05/28/perfect-yellow-cupcake-with-fudge-icing/https://i0.wp.com/www.thesugarpixie.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/yellowcupcake_fudgefrosting1.jpg?fit=1000%2C668&ssl=1https://i0.wp.com/www.thesugarpixie.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/yellowcupcake_fudgefrosting1.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1BakingDessertsRecipesBaking,cupcake,desserts,frosting,yellow cupcakeOne of my most favorite desserts in the whole world is a yellow cake with chocolate icing. On the surface it seems so simple, yet do you realize how many different ways there are to make a yellow cake? I will admit I long for the taste, texture, and...thesugarpixie thesugarpixie@gmail.comAdministratorThe Sugar Pixie
