Recipe: Home Made Vanilla Cupcakes

From time to time, you will find yourself in need of a great, basic vanilla cupcake recipe. Look no further: this recipe is everything a white cupcake should be.
Ingredients

1 cup (250 mL) all purpose flour

½ tsp (2 mL) baking powder

¼ tsp (1 mL) baking soda

Pinch salt

¾ cup (175 mL) granulated sugar

¼ cup (50 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 egg whites

1 tsp (5 mL) almond extract

2/3 cup (150 mL) buttermilk

Frosting (see Frosting suggestions, below)Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
1. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter until well combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in almond extract. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until smooth.
3. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting.
Variation: Substitute vanilla for the almond extract.
Frosting: I like to purchase chocolate, vanilla, frosting and various food colorings for variations.

Equipment
Muffin pan, lined with paper liners
Credit: Recipe from © 2005 Julie Hasson.