Vanilla Cupcakes

• 165g (1 ½ cups) Cake Flour (or 150g all-purpose flour minus 3 tbsp, replaced with 3 tbsp cornstarch, then sifted)
• 1 ½ teaspoons (6g) Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoon (1g) Salt
• ½ cup (113g) Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
• ¼ cup (50g) Vegetable Oil (or other neutral oil like canola)
• 1 cup (200g) Granulated Sugar
• 2 large Eggs, room temperature
• 1 large Egg Yolk, room temperature (for richness and moisture)
• 1 teaspoon (5g) Vanilla Extract (good quality)
• ½ teaspoon (2.5g) Vanilla Bean Paste (optional, for visible vanilla flecks and deeper flavor)
• ¾ cup (180ml) Full-Fat Sour Cream or Buttermilk, room temperature
• Vanilla Buttercream (On a separate recipe page)

Instructions

1. 1.
   Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. 2.
   In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. 3.
   In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the room temperature unsalted butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes, until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. 4.
   Add the large eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste. Scrape down the bowl to ensure everything is combined.
5. 5.
   With the mixer on low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, mixing just until almost combined. Then, add half of the sour cream (or buttermilk), mixing until just combined. Repeat with another third of the dry ingredients, then the remaining sour cream/buttermilk, and finally the last third of the dry ingredients. Stop mixing as soon as the last streaks of flour disappear. Do not overmix.
6. 6.
   Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
7. 7.
   Remove the cupcake pan from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting with buttercream.