The Perfect Yellow Cupcake

Recipe courtesy Gale Gand

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (33)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(33)

Cook Time:
35 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
24 servings

Times:

Prep: 2 hr 45 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 35 min
Total:: 3 hr 20 min

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Ingredients

White Buttercream:

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
4 egg whites
1 pound butter, cut up and softened slightly
1 teaspoon almond extract

Cupcakes:

1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
Regular or silver cupcake paper liners

Decorate and Assemble:

Edible pearlized fondant balls (in 3 sizes)
3 to 6 graduated glass cake stands
12 Victorian cake pull charms
Vari-colored ribbons to tie around cup cakes
Flowers, for cake top
Equipment: Several muffin tins

Directions

Make the White Buttercream: Put the sugar in a saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer and pour the water down the walls of the pan to moisten the sugar without letting sugar crystals wash up on the walls of the pan. Run your finger through the center making an X to allow the water to seep into the sugar if it hasn't already. Bring the sugar to a boil over high heat and continue cooking to the "softball" stage (234 degrees F.).

Meanwhile, in a standing mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip the egg whites to soft peaks and hold them on low speed until the sugar is ready. When the sugar syrup is has reached the softball stage, turn the mixer up to high and slowly pour the syrup down the side of the mixer. Let it continue to whip to cool down. When it's feeling somewhat cooled but still a little warm, start adding the butter a few pieces at a time until you have a smooth, whipped butter cream. Add the almond extract. Use right away or cover and chill. Re-warm or let sit out to warm up to room temperature to use.

Make the Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixer with a whip attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to cream. Gradually add the vanilla and eggs and mix in well. Sift together the dry ingredients; then mix into the butter mixture alternating with the milk. Pour batter into cupcake paper-lined muffin tins filling them 3/4 full. Bake until puffed and firm in the center and light golden brown on top, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool. (Freeze at this point, if necessary.)

Decorate and Assemble the Cupcakes: Using a small spatula, frost the tops of the cooled cup cakes with the buttercream. Decorate each with a few pearls of fondant.

Tie the cake pull charms to the ends of the ribbons.

Arrange some of the cupcakes on the largest cake stand, leaving the center empty for the base of the next cake stand. Tuck some of the cake pull charms under some of the cupcakes, dangling the ribbons off the edge of the cake stand. Place the next cake stand in the center and repeat. Make as many tiers as you need. Finish the top with flowers, if you'd like.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe The Perfect Yellow Cupcake
Jessica Blacksburg, VA 10-06-2008
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Truly the Perfect Yellow Cupcake
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Excellent recipe!! My husband said he gets fatter just from the smell! I sent a batch to work with him and they were very... well-received. Try scooping the mix into a piping bag (or cut a hole in the corner of a ziploc) to pipe into the cups without making a mess. Read more
recipe The Perfect Yellow Cupcake
Shelly Helotes, TX 08-12-2008
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Oh So Good!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This recipe is so simple, so delicious. My daughter and I ate 2 each before we could get the frosting on! I didn't use the... frosting recipe because of the reviews, but the cupcake is fantastic!Read more
recipe The Perfect Yellow Cupcake
Anonymous 08-21-2007
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Cupcakes were okay...
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

I made the yellow cupcakes but used a chocolate frosting. Maybe the cakes were too light for a heavier chocolate frosting, so... overall I wasn't terribly impressed with the outcome. The cupcakes didn't have a whole lot of taste. However, the batter tasted great!Read more
recipe The Perfect Yellow Cupcake
Anonymous 10-21-2006
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not for your average cook
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

I consider myself to be an above-average cook. I've made many many cakes and frostings, and never had a frosting turn out so... horrendously as this recipe did. The cupcakes were delicious, and thankfully sticky, so when they needed to be trimmed, I could press the cut edges into themselves. I made the frosting using a candy thermometer, but it never firmed up. Ended up having to add a pound of confectioner's sugar to the recipe just so I could get it to thicken. I tinted it lavender afterwards and topped the cupcakes with lavender and white sugar. They looked really pretty, but I'm worried the frosting will soften and melt once they've been at room temperature for a while. My advice is to stick with a tried and true buttercream frosting rather than risk this one. I've also been told by some that there's too much butter in this recipe. I do concede that the flavor of the frosting was out of this world.Read more
recipe The Perfect Yellow Cupcake
Anonymous 08-26-2006
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Hockey puck
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

This recipe made small yellow hockey pucks in the shape of cupcakes. Quite hard, dense, and ikky.
recipe The Perfect Yellow Cupcake
Anonymous 06-04-2006
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simply delicious
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

the cupcake is perfect as well as the icing! Sooo good!