Very Vanilla Sprinkle Cupcakes & My 200th Post!

Today is a special day!  This is my 200^th post!  I have had this blog for a little under a year (actually a year next month!) and within that time I have already had 200 posts!  That’s 200 recipes.  200 write-ups.  200 times I’ve baked/cooked a recipe, wrote it up, wrote about it and my experiences, and then posted it.

I’ve had such a great time writing up these past 200 posts and I can’t wait to post 200 + 200 + 200 + 200 …. more!  It truly has been a journey, and it’s one that I am so happy to be on.  I can’t wait to see where the rest of this amazing journey takes me!

In just 1 short month, I will be blogging for 1 whole year.  Now that will be a time to truly reflect on such a wonderful year of blogging :).  But for now I have these Very Vanilla Sprinkle Cupcakes to celebrate and share with you.

It’s a Vanilla Bean Cupcake, scattered with colorful sprinkles.  Topped with a silky, smooth Vanilla Bean Whipped Buttercream.  Then to really bring home the celebration, more colorful and fun sprinkles are sprinkled on top of the cupcakes.

For my 200^th post I wanted to share something that represents me.  And these cupcakes do just that. 

They are colorful, fun, girly, and pink. 

They shine with joy and happiness, and truly make you smile.

They are simple, yet shine

And they are made with vanilla and sprinkles, 2 of my favorite ingredients.

Now grab a cupcake and cheers to at least another 200!

Very Vanilla Sprinkle Cupcakes

For Printable Recipe, Click here!

Makes: 24 Cupcakes

Vanilla Bean Sprinkle Cupcakes

4 Egg Whites, at Room Temperature

1 Egg, at Room Temperature

2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Bean Paste (or Pure Vanilla Extract)

1 Fresh Vanilla Bean, Scraped and Seeded (Discard the Bean after taking out the seeds)

1 cup Milk, at Room Temperature

3 cups All Purpose Flour

1 ½ cups Sugar

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Baking Powder

¾ teaspoon Salt

12 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, at Room Temperature

½ cup Rainbow Sprinkles

Vanilla Bean Whipped Buttercream

3 cups + 4 tablespoons (6 sticks + 4 tablespoons) Unsalted Butter, at Room Temperature

7 cups Confectioners Sugar

6 tablespoons Milk

2 tablespoons Pure Vanilla Bean Paste (or Pure Vanilla Extract, plus the seeds from 1 Vanilla Bean)

Large Pinch of Salt

Sprinkles, for Decoration

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites, egg, pure vanilla bean paste, seeds from the vanilla bean, and ¼ of the milk.  Set aside until needed.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add the butter and the remaining ¾ of milk and beat until the batter is wet.

In 3 additions, add the egg mixture to the batter, beating for 30 seconds after each addition.  Continue beating until the batter is smooth.  Remove the bowl from the stand and fold in the sprinkles.

Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter among the prepared cupcake liners, filing 2/3 of the way up.  Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. 

Immediately remove the cupcakes from the pan and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. 

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the buttercream.  Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Beat the butter on medium speed for 7 minutes.  The butter will become pale in color and light and fluffy in texture. 

Add 4 cups of the confectioners sugar and beat (I set my mixer on the stir setting) for 30 seconds.  Add the remaining 3 cups of confectioners sugar, the milk, vanilla bean paste, and salt.  Beat, gradually increasing in speed, until all the ingredients are incorporated.  Continue beating on medium speed for 5 more minutes.

To frost the cupcakes, fill a piping bag (fitted with a large round top) with the buttercream.  Pipe in a circular motion on the surface of each cupcake, starting from the outside in.  After done frosting each cupcake, gently place an indent on the top of each cupcake with a small spoon.  Sprinkle each cupcake with colorful sprinkles. 

These cupcakes last up to 5 days in a sealed container, at room temperature.

Recipes from Sweetapolita