So i found this recipe for Vanilla Bean Cupcakes and i love love the flavor but the cupcakes will not rise and i also had to drop the temp because they were gettin to dry and the top wasnt cooking right. The recipe calls for both baking powder and baking soda. i tried just using the baking powder but im still having the same result. ideas on how to fix this? or doesn anyone have another vanilla bean cupcakes recipe? thanks

Have you tried up'ing the temp, to say 400 (if it calls for 350) to preheat for 10-15mins, then popping them in, and dropping the temp back down to 350? That will give the dome on your cupcake.

Not sure what you're entire recipe is, to see what the problem is. If you post it, many will help try to figure it out

HTH

I havent tried that i will try.. here is the recipe i have been using

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean pod
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350F
Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
Combine the milk, oil and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Scrape the insides of one vanilla bean pod into the same bowl.
In another medium bowl, using a stand or electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture... combine just until blended
Add 1/2 of the milk mixture... combine just until blended
Add 1/2 of the remaining flour mixture... combine just until blended
Add the remaining milk mixture... combine just until blended
Add the remaining flour mixture and combine just until blended. Ensure the entire mixture is blended.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full... as written the recipe states to bake 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Be very careful of the bake time - check them at the 10 minute mark to be safe - do not overbake these or they will be dry.
Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes... then remove from pan and place on wire rack until cooled completely

Seems that the baking powder is much, compared to the baking soda.

any suggestions on how much to try and use?

I'd say 2:1. That's at least a start

Thank you so much

Don't thank me yet. >.< hehe Hope that's a start.

Find another recipe is the short answer. All you need to do is add vanilla bean to any yellow cake recipe.

It is not the baking powder/baking soda. While it is slightly overleavened, it wouldn't cause it to not raise. Where did you get the recipe? Was it a legitimate sight or someone's blog? Did they reference where they got it? There are so many cobbed together recipes out there that have extra stuff thrown in that is not needed. Basically you need about 2.5 tsp of baking powder for it to raise. BUT I have found that often extra leavener is added to cake recipes because it opens up the crumb and acts as a tenderizer also. The key is to not over leaven to the point where it tastes soapy. Because I have made recipes where I have cut back on the leavener and got a dry cupcake, I would be leary to cut out the soda. But you are experimenting so go ahead and see what you get. I find chocolate cakes need more leavening than vanilla cakes. There is something about the cocoa that is a real drier and extra leavener will help that. I don't know if it is the same with vanilla cupcakes, but I should try adding it to my vanilla recipe and see how it works.

First off you have to define raising. It will probably not dome, most scratch recipes don't. There is not enough chemicals to make it happen. If you want a dome, then let is sit on the counter for about 20 minutes after you put them into the cups. Or you can turn your oven up to 400 for about 7 minutes and then turn it down to 350 for the rest of the time. I don't like this method because I have an electric oven. If I am putting another batch in the oven, I need to wait for the oven to preheat. I prefer to use 375 as a nice middle. It bakes the outside quicker while not allow the batter to overflow to a flat mess.

If you want to talk more about this, then you need to help me understand what kind of rise you want from your cupcake. Then I can help you to see if it is the recipe or not.

We all want a different look to our cupcakes. In the end, I have settled with not caring if it domes or not, but rather that it doesn't overflow and look sloppy. Frosting covers up the top anyway so who cares. And in all the cupcakes I have made over the past few months (testing recipes to open a store), not one single person has given me the feed back that they did not like the flat cupcake on top. I prefer to concentrate on taste rather than how to get a dome.