Valentine's Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

So... I know I have been MIA lately, but I promise it's not intentional! In January one of my best friends got married and our bridesmaid dresses we very fitted! Therefore, I wasn't baking cause I was trying to not gain a single pound and sure didn't need the temptation.

After that was over we decided we are moving out of our apartment when our lease comes up here in a few months. So that started the process of figuring all of that out. Anyways...Valentine's Day was just the thing I needed to kick my baking back into gear. I had to run an errand for my mom at Michaels yesterday, and it was over. I walked out with just about everything Valentine's or heart related you can buy. I found these super cute heart cupcake liners, which meant I was headed home to make some cupcakes of course!

After flipping through some recipes I decided on these Vanilla Beans Cupcakes, primarily cause I wanted to use red and white swirled icing on top to match the cute liners but also cause I love vanilla beans and love any recipe where I get to use the Beanilla Vanilla Beans I won last year!

This recipe comes from Annie's Eats. I think her blog is delicious so if you haven't stopped over there please go check it out, you won't be sorry!

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes from Annie'e Eats adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride which was adapted from The Well Decorated Cake

3 cups cake flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

16 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp

2 cups sugar

5 large eggs, at room temp

1 1/4 cups buttermilk, at room temp

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine cake flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside. Add butter to bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the mixer bowl with butter. Beat on medium-high speed for 3 mins, until light and creamy in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for one more minute.

Add sugar to the mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Mix in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla extract in liquid measuring cups. Mixer the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry and mixing just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.

Divide the batter between the paper liners, filling each about 2/3 full. This makes roughly 30 cupcakes. Bake 18-22 minutes. Mine actually were ready in 15 mins so be sure to watch carefully. Allow to cool in pans for 5-10 mins then transfer to a cooling rack. Frost & decorate as desired.


I have been wanting to try using 2 different colors of frosting for decorating cupcakes and this time worked out perfect with my Valentine's themed cupcakes. I used my favorite Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting recipe posted about here from Cupcake Bakeshop. and colored half red and kept the other half white. I think they turned out pretty cool looking. There were a few I just added pink and red sprinkles too just for fun!


A top view of the frosting...


One more picture a little close up...



If you like vanilla bean cupcakes you will definitely love these. The frosting however just put these over the top for me! Delicious :) Print This