High-Altitude Vanilla Cupcakes

I’m sharing another basic, classic recipe this week, ready to go for high-altitude bakers. These are simple, fluffy, perfectly sweet vanilla cupcakes with chocolate buttercream and they are DELIGHTFUL.

This recipe makes 12 generously frosted vanilla cupcakes, it’s really easy to make, and they taste amazing. Even more than all that, they have the perfect fluffy texture. Let’s get to it!

How to Make High-Altitude Vanilla Cupcakes

Let’s start with the cupcakes themselves- we’re using some pretty simple ingredients here but I am swapping in cake flour instead of all-purpose to ensure we get a super soft and fluffy cake after baking. I often avoid cake flour at altitude because it detracts from some of the structural support we get from all-purpose flour, but this recipe still works perfectly at altitude!

After whisking together the dry ingredients for the cake in a small bowl- that’s cake flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda- we’re whisking together some granulated sugar, melted butter, and oil in a large bowl.

Then it’s time to whisk in an egg and some vanilla extract- I’m using a combo of vanilla extract and paste here to make sure the vanilla flavor really pops.

After that, we’re adding in the dry mixture and buttermilk in alternating additions, mixing well between each addition. The buttermilk really contributes to the texture of these cupcakes so don’t skip it!

Once everything has been whisked in, you should have a thick, silky looking cake batter. Scoop it evenly into your lined cupcake tin- the batter should mostly fill each cup and you should use all of the cake batter to make 12 cupcakes here.

While the cupcakes bake, you can work on the frosting. This starts out with some softened butter, sour cream, powdered sugar, and dutch-processed cocoa powder. Beat those ingredients together until you have a very thick mixture.

Then add in the melted chocolate along with some salt and vanilla extract until everything is combined and smooth. Finally, beat in the heavy cream and whip for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and light.

Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, you can frost them as desired. I’m using a simple star piping tip and some rainbow sprinkles here, but you can also just frost the cupcakes with a knife if you prefer! Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks for High-Altitude Vanilla Cupcakes

Here are my tips to help you along the way to the perfect high-altitude vanilla cupcakes:

• Do I have to use cake flour? These cupcakes get the light, fluffy texture from a few ingredients, and cake flour is one of them. I recommend using true cake flour, but you can substitute with the following mixture; add two tablespoons of cornstarch to a 1 cup measuring cup, and fill the rest with all-purpose flour. Whisk that together for 1 cup of cake flour substitute.
• Should I whisk the cake batter by hand? Yes, I recommend mixing by hand to avoid over-mixing the cake batter. You can also use an electric hand mixer if you prefer, but just be sure to mix just until combined at each step.
• Do I need to use buttermilk? Yes, I recommend using real buttermilk in this recipe as it also contributes to the final texture of the cupcakes.
• Why do these cupcakes bake at a lower temperature? I love the resulting texture of a cupcake baked at a lower temp, and while you don’t get much browning, you also end up with a softer cupcake when baked at 325.
• How do I know when the cupcakes are finished baking? The cupcakes should be domed and set looking on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake should come out with just a few dry crumbs clinging to it.
• Do I need to use the sour cream in the frosting? You can skip it if needed, but I highly recommend it. It adds some balance to the overall flavor and it’s really lovely- almost like a cream cheese icing but much easier!
• Can I use another type of frosting? Of course! Top these cupcakes however you’d like!
• I live at about 5,000 ft. above sea level, and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft. do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Enjoy!

Print

High-Altitude Vanilla Cupcakes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the vanilla cupcakes:

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
• 3 tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract or paste
• 1 cup buttermilk

For the chocolate buttercream:

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 2 tbs. sour cream
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbs. dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 oz melted dark chocolate cooled
• 3 tbs. heavy cream

Instructions

For the vanilla cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the cake flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and then set this mixture aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, and vegetable oil until well combined. Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.
4. Add in about a third of the dry mixture and whisk to combine. Then whisk in about half of the buttermilk. Repeat the alternating additions until all of the dry mixture and buttermilk have been added to the cake batter.
5. Divide the batter evenly between your 12 muffin cups- the batter should fill each cup about 3/4 of the way up and you should use all of the cake batter.
6. Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, or until the cupcakes look set and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

For the chocolate frosting:

1. Be sure to melt your chocolate first and let the melted chocolate cool slightly. It should still be melted, but no longer hot to the touch.
2. While the chocolate cools, beat together the softened butter, sour cream, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder until light and fluffy. Add in the salt and vanilla extract and mix to combine.
3. Beat in the cooled melted chocolate until thoroughly mixed through. You should have a thick frosting at this stage.
4. Beat in the heavy cream, and beat the mixture for about 2 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.
5. Frost the cupcakes as desired and enjoy!

Nicole Hampton

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!