This recipe is the result of a lot of experimenting and taste tests!

French Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons french vanilla blend extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1½ sticks), softened
• 1 small package, french vanilla pudding

Directions

1. Set oven rack in middle position. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Pour milk, eggs, and extracts into a small bowl and mix with fork until blended.

3. Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs.

4. Add the milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer). Add pudding and mix.

5. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full. (I used an ice cream scoop to keep them even.) Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15-17 minutes.