Billy's Bakery Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes with Ganache

This recipe makes a delightfully fluffy, velvety and moist vanilla cupcake. They are strong enough to handle a modest inject of ganache, but I wouldn't recommend using too much filling.

To avoid baking disastrous cupcakes, please adhere to the directives in bold print. Here are my findings:

• If the first batch of cupcakes explodes, try reducing the temperature by 25 degrees and increasing the cooking time for the second batch.
• If the cupcakes resemble hockey pucks, the batter was over-mixed.
• If pools of butter are visible at bottom of paper, the butter wasn't entirely room temperature when mixed into the batter (or not mixed enough, but trust me, less mixing is more)
• If the cupcakes are super dry and without a fluffy, velvety texture, the batter was likely over-mixed.
• If the cupcakes start to brown, reduce the temperature and increase the cooking time.

Makes about 30 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, room temperature
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.

2. Sift flours together.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sifted flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

4. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat.

5. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

6. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter.

7. When cupcakes have cooled, make ganache recipe. Depending on desired consistency, frost, whip or pour ganache onto cupcakes. I tried injecting soft-set ganache into these cupcakes, and it didn't smush the cupcake, although I didn't put much inside.

RECIPE REFERENCE

1. http://52cupcakes.blogspot.com/2006/05/billys-vanilla-vanilla-cupcakes-with.html