Magnolia Bakery's Everyone's Favorite Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 3 cups (345g/12.2oz) cake flour
• 1¾ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (240g/8.5oz) whole milk
• ½ cup (115g/4oz) sour cream
• 1 cup/2 sticks (226g/8oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups (300g/10.6oz) granulated sugar
• 1¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 egg whites
• Double recipe Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Buttercream
• ½ cup (65g/2.3oz) confetti for decoration

For the confetti cupcakes

• 1 cup (130g/4.6oz) confetti sprinkles, plus another ½ cup (65g/2.30z) for decoration

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and sour cream until no lumps remain. Set aside.
4. Using a hand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
5. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the egg whites, a little at a time, beating until incorporated before adding more. Once the egg whites have been incorporated, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle.
6. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix for about 15 seconds, just until incorporated.
7. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl. Scrape down the bowl. (If you’re making Confetti Cupcakes, add the confetti and mix for 20 to 30 seconds, until smooth and combined.)
8. Using a #20 scoop or a 1/4-cup dry measuring cup, evenly scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
9. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched and a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean.
10. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
11. To decorate as in the photo, fill a piping bag with a Wilton #1M tip with vanilla buttercream and pipe a high rosette. (If making Confetti Cupcakes, finish with confetti sprinkles.)

Makes: 24 cupcakes