Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes

from melskitchecafe.com

*Makes between 16-24 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 for light, aluminum or silicone muffin pans or 325 for dark, nonstick muffin pans. Line about 16-24 muffin cups with liners and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in eggs and egg yolk one at a time and then mix in the vanilla. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Combine. Add 1/2 of the buttermilk. Mix. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix. Add the final 1/2 of the buttermilk. Mix and then add the final 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix until combined and the batter is smooth. Spoon out batter into lined cupcake pan, filling only halfway or just barely over halfway.

Bake for about 15-18 minutes (depending on the heat of your oven based on the type of muffin pan you have), until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out with moist crumbs. Don't overbake!

Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost as desired.