Elegant Almond Cupcakes with Silky Buttercream Frosting

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Almond Cupcakes are my all-time favorite cupcake to make. A fluffy vanilla cupcake is flavored with pure almond extract then topped with a silky almond buttercream frosting. They make a delicate and elegant treat for any occasion!

Almond cupcakes are not new to me. My family has been eating almond cake since forever, at least my mom has due to her Dutch roots. Our family hopped on the band wagon pretty darn fast when she introduced almond desserts to us. Let’s just say we fell…and fell hard.

We fell in love so hard that my sister served almond cake at her wedding and I served the exact same cake at mine. Don’t worry! I have a recipe for almond cake on the blog as well…it’s also a good one!

Why you’ll love this recipe: 

• Soft and moist texture – these almond cupcakes have a tender crumb that stays moist and soft.
• The almond buttercream is delicious – The buttercream is too luscious and delicious. It’s whipped and silky, pairing so well with the cupcakes soft texture. Not to mention, it’s also packed with sweet almond flavor creating an almond flavor explosion in your mouth!
• Beautiful presentation – Almond cupcakes are elegant and their presentation is so beautiful, simple yet elegant. Pearl or jeweled sprinkles really enhance the beauty and flavor the cupcake. These are perfect for all sorts of celebrations; weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, adult birthday celebrations and more. 
• Easy to make -This almond cupcake recipe is straight-forward. This is a traditional cupcake made in a classic way. 
• Fun to decorate – Since almond cupcakes are white they can be easily decorated to your liking. A soft pink or blue for baby showers, white for weddings, etc. 

So how do we make these beautiful almond cupcakes?

The cupcake batter is a simple and traditional cake batter consisting of:

• All purpose flour: All purpose flour creates structure for the cupcake. 
• Salt: A little salt enhances the flavor of the cupcake. 
• Baking powder: Baking powder is a leveling agent. It helps baked goods rise. Baking powder is what makes these cupcakes puff up and stay light and fluffy. 
• Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cupcakes. 
• Butter: Butter adds fat and richness to the cupcake. It also adds wonderful flavor. 
• Eggs: A few eggs bind all the ingredients together. 
• Vanilla and almond extract: Vanilla and almond extract add warmth and sweetness to the cupcake. The almond flavor is to die for. 
• Whole milk: Whole milk helps keep the cupcake moist. I suggest using whole instead of a lower fat milk. 

TIP: Make sure all cold ingredients are room temperature. Room temperature ingredients mix more evenly with the other ingredients. Cold ingredients can hinder the creaming process causing over-mixing which will create a dense cupcake. 

How to make almond cupcakes and almond buttercream frosting:

As you can see the process to make almond cupcakes is simple! The key to success is to have the ingredients prepared and ready to go and to not over-mix the batter. 

Whipped Almond Buttercream Ingredients:

• Confectioners sugar: Confectioners sugar (powdered sugar) is used to create buttercream frosting. It absorbs liquid very well and once mixed together had a smooth and creamy finish. 
• Unsalted butter: Butter adds wonderful flavor and helps add structure to create a smooth yet pip able frosting. 
• Salt: A little salt balances the sweetness and enhances the almond flavor. 
• Almond & vanilla extract: Both almond and vanilla flavor the frosting. It’s warm and sweet!
• Boiling water: This secret ingredient helps dissolve the confectioners sugar creating a silky texture without adding any dairy flavor to the frosting. 

Tips for success: 

• Read through the recipe before starting – this helps prevent mistakes and prepares you well before starting. 
• Prepare ingredients and prep equipment – this helps prevent mistakes and makes the baking process run smoothly. 
• Use room temperature ingredients – this ensures everything blends easily and blends well. 
• Do not over-mix the batter – over-mixing can create a tough cupcake. You can mix the flour in by hand if you need to. 
• Use whole milk – adds a nice richness to the cupcake batter and overall taste and texture of the cupcake. 

These cupcakes are light and fluffy and the buttercream frosting is so silky…I could sleep in it. 

Almond Cupcakes are the perfect sweet treat to bring to a wedding, bridal shower, baby shower or even for birthdays. Or you can make them and just enjoy them over the weekend like I did. This is why it’s a must have recipe – there are so many life events where an almond cupcake is so appropriate to bring and celebrate with!

The best cupcake ever.

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Yield: 12 cupcakes

Almond Cupcakes with Almond Buttercream Frosting

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These almond cupcakes are soft, moist and full of sweet almond flavor. Each cupcake has a delicate crumb and subtle sweetness that parits perfectly with the whipped almond buttercream frosting. These cupcakes are an elegant treat perfect for any occasion.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

Almond Cupcakes

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• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

Whipped Almond Buttercream Frosting

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• 4 cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup boiling water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
   In a stand-alone mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (hand-held mixers work too), cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
3. Next add eggs, almond extract, vanilla extract and mix until smooth (mixture may have a few lumps which is ok), scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
4. Lastly, add one third of the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until just combined then add half of the milk, mix until combined. Again add another one third of the flour mixture and mix until combined then add the other half of the milk and mix until combined. Finally add the last of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
5. Evenly spoon batter into cupcake liners (cookie dough scoop is helpful for this), about 3/4 full each and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, mine baked for about 17 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or knife in the center of a cupcake – if it comes out clean or with light crumbles on it, they’re done! Pull them out, let them cool for just a minute and then remove from pan to fully cool on baking rack or counter.
6. To make the buttercream frosting, bring the water to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil, add the powdered sugar to a stand-alone mixer fitted with a WHISK attachment. Add the boiling water to the sugar and mix for 4 minutes on low-speed until the sugar completely dissolves. Use a spatula to scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure no lumps of sugar remain.
7. Next, briefly mix in the almond extract, vanilla extract, and salt. Check the mixture to make sure it’s at room temperature. If it’s still warm, let it cool slightly before adding the butter.
8. Finally, add the room temperature butter and turn the mixer on low-speed and mix for 3 minutes. The mixture will look watery and lumpy.
9. Turn mixer to medium speed and continue to mix until frosting looks like whipped cream. This could 2 minutes or it can take 10 minutes – when it’s done it will be fluffy and look similar to whipped cream. You may think it’s not done because it will not look like a lot of frosting but it will be enough to frost the 12 cupcakes.
10. Frost cooled cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles.

Notes

Cupcakes will last 3-5 days in an airtight container stored in the refrigerator.

You can also freeze cupcakes for up to six months. To prevent freezer burn, individually wrap cupcakes in plastic and then foil. Thaw them at room temperature and then frost before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 501Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 222mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 0gSugar: 54gProtein: 4g

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Cupcake recipe slightly adapted from Taste and Tell and Frosting slightly adapted from Wicked Good Kitchen.

Photo credit: Culinary Captured