When smitten kitchen claimed to have the best yellow cake recipe, I knew I had to try it.  This is the perfect recipe to use for strawberry shortcake cupcakes (recipe here).  It would also be great with a peanut butter icing and jam filling.  When it comes to layer cakes, however, I prefer to use all purpose flour because I like cakes with a tighter crumb.  See my favourite yellow layer cake recipe here.

Yellow Cupcakes Recipe

makes 24 cupcakes; smitten kitchen’s cake recipe adapted for cupcakes

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (If you don’t have cake flour, see my post on cake flour substitution here.)

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

2 tbsp lemon juice topped up to 2 cups with milk, well stirred and rested for at least 10 minutes prior to use (or use 2 cups of buttermilk)

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups granulated white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Put large sized paper cupcake liners into your muffin tray.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  In the stand mixer bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale in colour.  Then beat in the vanilla.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Then mix in the milk with lemon juice (or buttermilk).  The mixture will look curdled.  On low speed, mix in the flour mixture one third at a time until each addition is just incorporated.  The batter will be thick.  Fill the cupcake liners evenly (approximately 3/4 to 5/6 full) with the batter.  Bake until a tooth pick inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 17 minutes.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 or 2 minutes.  Then carefully remove the cupcakes from the pan and transfer to the cooling rack to cool completely.  These freeze well.  If desired, stuff with a filling of your choice, frost, and decorate.  (See photo instructions on how to fill a cupcake here.)