Billy’s Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Have you heard of  Billy Reece from Billy’s Bakery in New York?! If not, perhaps it is time to taste what he is really all about,  two  fabulous vanilla recipes. A couple years ago, Billy Reece shared his specialty recipe for “Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes” and “Vanilla Buttercream”  with millions of viewers on the Martha Stewart show. His recipes quickly hit the blogwaves and  were tested out by thousands, followed by results of pure satisfactory and vanilla bliss! His cupcake and frosting recipe has replaced hundreds of fellow bakers “go-to” vanilla cupcake and frosting recipe.

Rest assured, this has also been our “safe / go to” recipe for the past 3 years. We have created cupcakes using this recipe  for multiple parties, including but not limited to Melissa’s Wedding Reception, Melissa’s Baby Shower, Kelly’s (Melissa’s sister in-law) baby shower, several events, Dinner Date parties, Birthday parties, etc. We have received countless compliments, with the most common one said, “These are the best cupcakes I have ever had!”

Billy’s Bakery is a celebrity favorite, especially of Katie Holmes. In December 2005,  Billy supplied a mass amount of cupcakes for Katie Holme’s  27th birthday bash at F.A.O. Schwartz. In 2006, Billy’s Bakery reportedly made Katie’s 2006 wedding cake. In addition, Ethan Hawke, Mandy Moore, and Bungalow 8 club founder, Amy Sacco, are also fans of the bakery. Billy’s has also been featured on Queer Eye For the Straight Guy, MTV Diary Katie Holmes, The Today Show, MTV’s Boiling Point, the CBS Early Show, the Food Network’s Roker On The Road, and Martha Stewart’s television show Martha.

We hope that you have been persuaded to try this fantastic recipe. Don’t forget to leave a comment and let us know what you thought of it. Did this recipe become your go-to vanilla cupcake and buttercream frosting recipe?

Billy’s Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• With electric mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy.
• If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency.

Billy’s Vanilla Vanilla Cupcake Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoonsalt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined.
• Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
• Add eggs, one at a time.
• In a large glass measuring cup add milk and vanilla.
• With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
• Using an ice cream scoop for even cupcakes, divide batter among liners, filling about two-thirds full
• Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter.
• Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake.
• Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

XOXO, Nancy & Melissa

Here are additional photos of other cupcakes we created using Billy’s Vanilla Vanilla Buttercream: