Real Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Strawberry Whipped Cream Topping

Real Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Strawberry Whipped Cream Topping

So it's Easter time, and I wanted to make something extra special for the Special day. I had seen this recipe a long while ago (probably in the fall), and wanted to make them. Not only because they looked and sounded delicious, but because I had gotten some vanilla beans for a bridal gift last spring and needed to use them up on something scrumptious!

This was only the second time I've ever made a cake from scratch. Growing up my mom was never a fan of baking (and still isn't), so we always did boxed cakes & brownies. Which are tasty, but just not the same as the real deal!

(You'll have to forgive me for the poor pictures. I made them at midnight, and the lighting was terrible. So I had to snap a few pictures the next day.)

These were the tastiest, most moist, heavenly cupcakes I've ever had!! And I don't even like cupcakes.

The Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Yield: 16 cupcakes

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (I used salted)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup canola oil, vegetable oil, or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup 2% or whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a small bowl, combine sugar and seeds from the vanilla bean.
3. Using the back of a spoon, move around the bowl and apply pressure to break up any clumps of seeds and to better infuse the vanilla flavor into the sugar. Then mix very well in with an electric mixer. Set aside.
4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add the vanilla bean sugar and mix until well combined.
6. Add butter and mix on medium-low speed for three minutes. Because there is so little butter, you'll end up with a very fine crumb texture.
7. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
8. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.
9. Slowly add milk and mix on low speed until just combined. The batter will be liquid. (Don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong. It's supposed to be that way.)
10. Spray the cupcake liners. Fill just over 1/2 full.
11. Bake for 14 minutes and then test to see if they are done. They are done when a toothpick comes out without wet batter stuck to it. The cupcakes should appear white with specks of vanilla bean. They should not turn a golden brown. If they are not done, test again in two minutes. If they are still not done, test again in another two minutes. (Mine took 16-18 mins.)
12. When the cupcakes are done, remove them immediately from the tins and leave them on a cooling rack (or just on your counter if you don't own a cooling rack) to cool.
13. Remove from greasy cupcake liners, and put into new ones.

Recipe adapted from: Cupcakeproject.com

As for that delicious Strawberry Whipped Cream Topping, it was incredibly easy to make! Just 5 minutes, and you're done!

Strawberry Whipped Cream Recipe

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons food processed strawberries (take some fresh strawberries, wash them, remove the stems, and throw them in the food processor until they become a thick, seedy liquid)

1. Whip cream until it looks like whipped cream.
2. Mix in sugar.
3. Mix in strawberries until just combined.
4. Be sure to frost your cupcakes before you eat all of the strawberry whipped cream.

Recipe adapted from: Cupcakeproject.com

Cranberry up-side down cake

A few weeks after the Christmas season, and after making many loaves of orange cranberry bread.. I was all breaded out, and in need of another use for cranberries!! So where did I turn to for cranberry recipes, and creative ideas? Nope, not google. PINTEREST! My newest obsession!! I was looking for something out of the ordinary, not your typical cranberry recipe. And low and behold- I found a cranberry up-side down cake! As if pineapple up-side down cake wasn't a delicious enough concoction.

I gave the sides & bottom of my 9in. pan a good rub with 2 T. butter, and sprinkled it with the sugar & spice mixture. I then put enough cranberries to cover the bottom (about 1 cup).

I whipped up the cake batter real quick, and spooned it onto the cranberries. It's a pretty thick batter, so it really is easier if you spoon it rather than trying to dump it on.

Pop it in the over for about 30 mins. and VIOLA! You have a delicious smelling Cranberry Up-side down cake that looks something like this..

Just the smallest piece brought back the warm Christmas feeling with all the tastes and aromas of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg (the recipe doesn't call for nutmeg, but I'm a spicy kinda girl). The only complaint I had about this cake, is that it was very delicate! Next time I would use my spring-form pan.

Try new things, and give this recipe some character! Leave me a comment, and tell me how you made it your own!

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 30 minutes

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1¾ cup fresh cranberries
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

2. Rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan with 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter (it will be a really thick layer of butter). In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup of the granulated sugar with the cinnamon and allspice. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Arrange the cranberries in a single layer on top of the sugar mixture.

3. Using an electric mixer, cream together the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and ½ cup of granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, until well combined.

4. Spoon the batter over the cranberries in the pan, and smooth the top. Bake until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake; invert onto a rimmed platter. Store any leftovers at room temperature.

(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart)

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