I have this cupcake recipe but it always tastes like milk. IDK why, here's the recipe for 12 cupcakes:

180g (1 1/2 cups) flour

240mL (1 cup) milk

185g (3/4 cup + 3 tbsps ) sugar

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 teaspon bicarbonate of soda

1 tbsp vinegar

4 tbsps oil

1/4 tsp salt

Is it the kind of milk I'm using? I am using a commercial powdered whole milk that I reconstitute with water. Should I use nonfat, skim or just change brands? Powdered, evaporated, or pasteurized cow's milk?

I use BS & Vinegar as an egg substitute as I made this for a friend who's allergic to eggs. She didn't comment anything about the flavour; she did say she loved it. But I tasted one and I tasted sweetened milk and no vanilla at all. If you have any trusted vanilla cupcake recipe, please share! Thank you!

Did you try just adding more vanilla?

Or other additional flavoring such as citrus or almond?

That could help right there...

I have never used powdered milk... just regular milk in my recipes... So I do not know if that would affect it...

If you don't mind me asking: how would citrus affect the flavor of vanilla? Also, what do you mean by citrus: squeezed juice or a bottled extract?

That's one of those egg-less wacky cake type recipes.  While I think the chocolate tastes good, the vanilla always seemed to be lacking some important flavor characters that the eggs impart.  I'd try a different recipe...you could also halve the milk and use half water as well, but I think a recipe with eggs will yield an overall better flavor.  But since your friend can't have the eggs, I'm not sure there much you can do to change things. I'm sure she's learned to live with this modification and probably doesn't notice thinks like this so much anymore.

I'll gladly give you my recipe if you want, but it does use either whole eggs or egg whites depending on your preference.

As for how it will affect the vanilla it would depend on the ratio... and if you like citrus... 

I was just referring to extracts/flavorings... not actual juice... actual citrus juices would change the acid/base balance in your recipe... not necessarily good...

@Jeff_Arnett I see! I would love to see your recipe with whole eggs. I'm still on the hunt for really good vanilla cupcakes. Interesting bit about eggs and vanilla flavor. Never really thought that would matter. Thanks for that! :D

@AAtKT I like citrus in some cases, but will it enhance/make the vanilla flavor stand out? Assuming the recipe uses proper ratio of citrus:vanilla flavoring.

I don't think it actually enhances the vanilla flavor... just gives another flavor to the mix... but I like a little citrus in my vanilla sugar cookies...

Here's my basic vanilla cake...I use it for both layer cakes and cupcakes.  The basic recipe makes 3 eight inch round layers thick enough to trim to 1 1/2 inches in height (my cakes are three layers) or about 4 dozen cupcakes....the recipe can be halved easily.

NOTE that I use the whisk rather than the flat beater to make my cake batter!

Vanilla Cake

4 cups all purpose flour (I use white lily brand)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup shortening or butter (or can be mixed)

2 cups buttermilk, room temperature

4 large whole eggs or 6 egg whites (if you want a really white cake use shortening and egg whites)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar together into mixer bowl.

Add the shortening and/or butter and use a fork to break up somewhat (I find this helps prevent large chunks getting stuck in the beater).

Using the WHISK attachment, turn the  mixer on LOW and blend the flour/shortening mixture until it resembles fine crumbs.

Add the buttermilk and vanilla and set timer for 4 minutes and increase mixer speed to low-medium and beat for the first two minutes, scraping bowl occassionally.

With mixer still running, add the eggs one at a time about 10 seconds apart.  Scrape bowl a couple times to insure the edges are blended well. 

Divide into pans greased, lined with parchment and greased and floured or sprayed with pan spray, or scoop into paper-lined cupcake pans.

Bake at 325 F until cakes test done with a cake tester and spring back when lightly touched in the middle.

Cool in pans 5 minutes for smaller layers; 10 for larger.  Remove from pans and wrap in plastic wrap until ready to use.

Mine go directly into the freezer at this point overnight and are iced and decorated the next day.  Unfrosted cupcakes will freeze great too.  If I have extras I place them in plastic storage boxes and freeze until needed.  I frost them frozen then let them thaw in the cooled.

I think it's the powdered milk. It has a strong flavor. I'd use regular whole or low fat milk and increase the vanilla.

The recipe has a lot of milk and vanilla but little else to give it a backbone of richness.  That's where the eggs and butter come in.  I would definitely use a different recipe.  

I've never tried to make cupcakes without eggs and butter. Is there a reason you leave those two things out?

@julia1812   I think they their friend was allergic to eggs.

@LouisNutri Have you seen a product called "Egg Replacer?" I've recently seen it on the shelves and I wonder how well it would work (or if it contains any egg particles). http://www.ener-g.com/egg-replacer.html It's apparently potato and tapioca starch. I've never used it, but if it works it would be a good substitute! :)

Thanks @Jeff_Arnett   for the recipe! Will try that out soon! :D

@shaloop  yeah, I thought it was the milk as well. The milk has a label of "flavoring", though it did not specify what flavoring it is. 

@julia1812  my friend who I baked this for is allergic to eggs...

@craftybanana2  Hi, unfortunately, there is no such thing as "egg replacers" in my country as egg allergies are very rare here. Other egg substitutes like flax seed are very hard to come by here and is only sold on specialty markets which is like 1 1/2 hour to 2 hours drive from where I live. I've seen Aqua Faba (liquid from canned chickpeas) as an egg substitute, but haven't tried it. I think I would try a regular vanilla cupcake that contains eggs first before I venture on with finding a perfect egg sub for vanilla cupcakes. 

Oh I see. Have a look here:

http://www.egglesscooking.com/egg-substitutes/