Delicious Oil-Based Vanilla Cupcakes

INSTRUCTIONS

• Make the Vanilla Cupcakes:
• Preheat and Prep: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
• Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside.
• Prepare Wet Ingredients: combine the milk and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Set it aside.
• Cream Base Ingredients: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the sugar, oil, and eggs on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened.
• Add Sour Cream: Blend in the sour cream on medium speed just until combined.
• Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add half of the sifted dry ingredients to the mixer and blend on low speed until partially combined.
• Add Milk Mixture: Pour in half of the milk and vanilla mixture and mix until just combined.
• Repeat and Finish Mixing: Add the remaining dry ingredients, mix, then follow with the rest of the milk mixture. Mix gently until everything is just combined—avoid overmixing.
• Fill and Bake: Divide the batter evenly among 12 cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean and the tops spring back when lightly touched.
• Cool and Frost: Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
• Make the Vanilla Buttercream:
• Cream the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Start at a low speed and gradually increase the speed. The butter should take about 3 minutes if at room temperature, but it may take longer if the butter is cold. You will know the butter is well-creamed when it becomes smooth, fluffy, and light in color, and you hear a slapping sound as it hits the sides of the bowl.
• Add the sugar gradually at low speed, about 1 cup at a time. Ensure each cup of sugar added is well mixed before adding the next. When all the sugar has been added, add the vanilla extract and salt, stopping the mixer and scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl and paddle attachment to ensure that all the butter and sugar are well mixed. Mix at low speed for another 20 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• Increase the mixer speed to the highest speed and mix for about 5 minutes. You can cover the mixer bowl to prevent splashing. You may need to stop the mixer once or twice to scrape the bowl and paddle. The buttercream will become lighter in color, creamy, and smooth and appear to have increased in volume.
• Use the buttercream immediately or store it in an airtight container and put it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Use a large star or round tip and the pastry bag to pipe a swirl of frosting onto the cupcake to finish. If refrigerated, allow the buttercream to come to room temperature, then beat with a mixer until it is light and fluffy again.