It seems like everybody has a favorite cupcake. Invariably, all the guests at a party are going to have different preferences, so when my good friend’s daughter turned three last week (happy birthday Livvy!) I offered to make three different cupcake flavor variations.

So we have a perfectionist’s hodge-podge of cake and frosting recipes today, yay! I settled on a double vanilla cupcake, a classic red velvet, and a double chocolate. Of course, I like to keep things complicated for myself, so I spliced together recipes from five different places. First, we’ll address the vanilla:

Vanilla Bean Sour Cream Cupcakes
Adapted from: The Little Kitchen
Yield: 30 cupcakes

1 box white cake mix (I used Duncan Hines French Vanilla)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
4 egg whites
1 1/4 cups water
2 Tbsp coconut oil (feel free to use vegetable oil, I was out!)
1 cup (8oz carton) full-fat sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground Tahitian vanilla bean

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
2. Add all dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl and using a stand or hand mixer, mix on low for about 2 minutes. Using a large cookie scoop, fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.
3. Bake cupcakes for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly in cupcake tin on a cooling rack before removing and allowing to cool the rest of the way on cooling racks.

Bakery-Style Vanilla Bean Frosting
Adapted from: Sweetapolita
Yield: enough to frost 24 cupcakes

3 sticks (340 grams/12 ounces) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
5 cups (625 grams/22 ounces) confectioners’ sugar (icing, powdered)
2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground Tahitian vanilla bean
pinch of salt

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 5 minutes on medium speed (I use “4″ on my KitchenAid). Butter will become very pale and creamy.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed for 5 minutes. Frosting will be very light, creamy, and fluffy.
3. Add touch of gel food colour, if desired and mix until blended (I did not add color, obviously).
4. Best used right away.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Silky Cream Cheese Frosting
Source: Brown Eyed Baker
Yield: 24 frosted cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

For the Frosting:
2 sticks (8 ounces) butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard cupcake pan with liners.
2. On medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to high and add the eggs. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.
3. In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter and mix on medium speed until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.
5. Again, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the salt, baking soda and vinegar. Turn to high and beat for another couple of minutes until completely combined and smooth.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife or skewer inserted into the center of the largest cupcake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove cupcakes from the pan and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
7. To make the frosting: Using the whisk attachment, whip the butter and cream cheese on high speed for about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl down as necessary. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Increase the speed to medium high and whip for a few minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as necessary.

Chocolate-Oreo Cupcakes
Adapted from: BruCrew Life
Yield: 30 cupcakes

1 box chocolate cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Devil’s Food)
1 box instant chocolate pudding mix (3.9 oz. box)
1 cup brewed coffee, cooled
4 eggs
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt (I used some Yoplait Light)
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 cups chocolate cookie chunks (I found this to be about half a regular-sized package)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard cupcake pan with liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, coffee, eggs, yogurt, and melted butter. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Increase speed and beat on medium for 2 minutes. The batter will be very thick. Stir in the cookie chunks by hand.
3. Fill cupcake liners 1/2 full. Bake for about 18 minutes. Cool slightly in pan before removing cupcakes to wire rack.

Nutella Cloud Frosting
Adapted from: Sweetapolita
Yield: enough to frost 24 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), softened, but cool
2 1/4 cups icing sugar (confectioners’ or powdered)
3 teaspoons (15 mL) pure vanilla extract
6 ounces premium bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly (I used Ghirardelli 72%)
1/2 cup Nutella
pinch of salt

1. In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the icing sugar and butter and beat on low speed (I use #2 on my KitchenAid mixer) for about 1 minute.
2. Add vanilla, and beat on low speed until well combined. Add the melted and slightly cooled chocolate and beat on medium speed (I use #4 on my KitchenAid mixer) until smooth (about 2 minutes).
3. Add the Nutella and pinch of salt, and beat on med-high speed for another minute.
4. Brace yourself. <—This part is important; this frosting is heavenly!

So in all, I would up with 72 cupcakes (24 of each flavor), plus a little extra batter that found itself transformed into bite-sized mini cupcakes. Every time I undertake large orders for parties, I find myself going, “what was I thinking?!” about halfway through. But by the end, the cupcakes looked so cute that all my irritation melted into admiration