I'm always playing around with recipes. Can I make something we love even better? This is an update on the vanilla cupcake recipe I've been making for years. This recipe does need to beat for a couple minutes in a mixer, so just use the older recipe if you're hoping for a quick whisk together in a bowl. Both are delicious, but this one has become a new favorite! Enjoy!

Decorated with chocolate marshmallow fluff frosting by my daughter. Yum!

There are options to make these a bit larger, which also works great!

Kristin's Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes

Makes 12-18

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Mix together dry ingredients (this is important in gluten-free baking):
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/3 cup cornstarch (or arrowroot starch)
2 Tbsp coconut flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt

Add and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed:
2/3 cup buttermilk (can be made by using 1 Tbsp lemon juice + milk)
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup softened butter
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional, but add if you like the flavor)
3 eggs

Pour into cupcake holders (you can make 12 large cupcakes, each filled almost to the top of the cupcake liners or 18 cupcakes, each filled ~2/3 full).

You can scoop them in with a spatula.

Or, you can scoop them in with a larger cookie scoop, which works great!

Bake cupcakes at 350 F for 16-22 minutes, or until light golden brown (less time for smaller cupcakes, more for larger. If you would like to make this as an 8x8 cake, line the pan with parchment paper and bake ~25-28 minutes.