Ingredients
- 180g all purpose flour
- 8g baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 115g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 150g granulated sugar
- 1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthways with seeds removed
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 180ml buttermilk, at room temperature
- Extra pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Method
- Position one oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line the standard muffin tin with paper cup liners and set aside.
- Make the cupcakes. In a small mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fit your KitchenAid hand mixer with the turbo beater attachments. Place the beaters into the flour mixture and turn to speed 2. Mix until combined. Turn off the mixer. Set the flour mixture aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl add the butter, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds. Place the beaters into the bowl and turn to speed 2 until roughly incorporated, then increase to speed 6 and mix until light and fluffy. This should take about 4-5 minutes. Halfway through mixing, stop the mixer to scrape the bowl and beaters with a spatula.
- Once the butter and sugar is properly creamed, reduce to speed 2 and add the eggs one at a time, letting each egg fully incorporate before adding the next. When the second egg is fully incorporated, stop the mixer to scrape down the bowl and beaters.
- Place the beaters back into the bowl and turn to speed 2. Sprinkle in â…“ of the flour mixture, followed by â…“ of the buttermilk. Repeat the process, alternating the flour and buttermilk until just incorporated. Stop the mixer to scrape the bowl and beaters. Place the beaters back into the batter and turn to speed 6 to ensure everything is mixed properly, another 30-40 seconds. The batter should be creamy and thick.
- Fill each cupcake liner about ¾ full. Bake until the cupcakes just begin to color and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-22 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. Cool the pan on a wire baking rack for 3 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pan, place back on the rack, and cool to room temperature before frosting.
- Assemble the cupcakes. Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired (either with a spreader, or with a piping bag), using small strokes and different shades of green to mimic the look of a small succulent. Get creative, and let your imagination go wild!
