Yesterday I turned 40! It feels strange to have entered a new decade. In celebration of my birthday I had to make vanilla cupcakes with sprinkles, my absolute favorite, to share with my friends and keep in the freezer when a craving strikes. This recipe is my favorite if I have to make my own cake. My sister adapted her favorite cake recipe to work perfectly with gluten-free flour so this is her tried-and-true recipe. Anytime I need to make a cake, this is the recipe I use and it turns out perfect every time as either cake or cupcakes.
I topped these cupcakes with my sister’s cream cheese frostings. It’s super easy to throw together and not too sweet. Because of the cream cheese frosting I don’t leave these out for more than a few hours. The best way to store them when you’re done serving is to freeze them in an airtight container. Gluten-free baked goods should generally not be refrigerated as many of them dry out quickly. I put these in the freezer not long after finishing them because I made them at night for serving the next day. They thaw quickly once taken out of the freezer. Setting a cupcake out on the counter for about a half hour is sufficient in getting the entire cupcake back to room temp, and they will be as fresh as when you made them.
*Allergen note: this recipe can be made soy-free by using avocado oil rather than vegetable or canola and can be made dairy-free by using any alternative milk. I’ve made this with almond milk and it works perfectly fine.
Kristin's 1234 Cupcakes
1 cup avocado or other neutral oil
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
3 cups GF flour blend
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350. Cream oil and sugar, then add vanilla and eggs one at a time. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour.
Line cupcake tins or grease 3 round 9″ cake pans and line with wax or parchment paper.
Pour batter into prepared pans, about 3/4 full for cupcakes. Bake 25 minutes for rounds, 12-15 minutes for cupcakes. (Check after 12 minutes with a toothpick as they will dry out fast.) Cool before removing from pans.
Kristin's Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick butter, softened to room temp
4 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temp
2.5-3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Beat butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer, add vanilla, then slowly add in the sugar a half a cup at a time. I usually use 2.5 cups of powdered sugar but if it doesn’t look like quite enough frosting bump it up to 3 cups.