How To Make The Best Cupcake Recipes

Homemade White Chocolate Cupcakes

There is nothing like baking homemade cupcakes, they are quick and easy and cupcakes are a huge hit with kids not to mention the new thing with wedding cakes and special occasions.  You may have even seen a cupcake bakery pop up in your neighborhood in the past couple of years offering gourmet cupcakes that are deemed to be the best tasting and most innovative.

How To Make The Best Homemade Cupcakes 

Baking cupcakes should not be a feared task, for they are really easy to make as well as easy on the budget as well as the waistline.  Well if just eat one that is.  The main factor for making cupcakes is the ingredients and how they are incorporated with each other.  Recipes for homemade cupcakes are by the thousands though if you know the key ingredients that make the best cupcakes, you can let your imagination run wild with the kinds of cupcakes to make at home.  My two favorite cupcake recipes are lemon scented  cupcakes with a lemon raspberry glaze and double fudge chocolate cupcakes with el diablo frosting. 

The title of these homemade cupcakes sound gourmet but let me assure you they are quick and easy to make and are a huge hit.  Before I share my secret cupcake recipes, let me give you some tips to making cupcakes quick and easy.

First when cooking or preparing any dish it is always a great time saver to gather all your ingredients, measure them out, and place in the order of direction.  This will help clean up as well as help you not  leave out any ingredients the recipe calls for.  I am a huge violator in regards to this, I can not tell you how many times I have trashed my kitchen when I am incorporating ingredients and discover I have failed to read the directions or ingredients.

Lemon Cupcakes
(Makes 12 cupcakes)

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 tsp. lemon zest
• 2 each large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line regular size cupcake tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
Using standing mixer or electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest until pale and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating each in well after adding.
Add half of the flour, then buttermilk and lemon juice, then remaining flour, blending well after each addition.
Divide cupcake batter evenly among the cupcake tin and bake until a wooden toothpick comes out clean, about 22 minutes.
Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.


Lemon-Raspberry Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 3 Tbs. seedless raspberry jam
• Fresh raspberries, if in season

Heat up raspberry jam in microwave for about 45 seconds, set aside
Whisk together sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and slowly add cooled raspberry jam.
Drop a dollop over the cooled cupcakes and garnish with fresh raspberries.

Double Fudge Chocolate CupcakesMake 12 cupcakes

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 each large eggs
• 1/2 cup dutch cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2/3 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
• 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line regular size cupcake tins and set aside.
Using standing mixer or an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, mix till fully incorporated.
Alternate the next three ingredients, ending in flour: Half cocoa, half flour, half buttermilk then rest of cocoa, rest of buttermilk, and rest of flour.
Next slowly add the melted chocolate, and stir in the chocolate chips.
Divide the batter equally into cake tins and bake for about 24 minutes, checking with a wooden toothpick.
Remove from tins and cool completely before frosting.


El Diablo Butter Cream Chocolate Frosting
I like to add some heat to this classic frosting, it adds some heat which brings out the true flavors of the rich chocolate cupcakes.

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3/4 cups dutch cocoa powder sifted
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Cocoa beans for garnish

Beat butter till light and fluffy, add vanilla extract and cayenne pepper.
Slowly add powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
You may need to chill the frosting for 15 minutes to stiffen.
If you have a pastry bag you can pipe the frosting, or just spoon on cupcakes and garnish with cocoa beans.

Cupcake Supplies Online
Here is a link that has a ton of cupcake supplies like liners you see in the picture, and a ton of other baking needs.