For the Vanilla Cupcakes:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a standard muffin pan with muffin liners, set the pan aside.
• Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium sized bowl and whisk them together. Set them aside.
• In a large bowl, add the granulated sugar, and butter and mix them together with an electric mixer (a stand mixer or hand mixer) for 1-2 minutes.
• Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until they're just combined. Then add in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add in half the dry ingredients, and mix until mostly combined.
• Add in the buttermilk and mix until combined. The batter may look curdled, but that's okay.
• Add in the remaining dry ingredients, and mix until combined.
• Fill the cupcake liners each about 2/3 to 3/4 full, filling them evenly.
• Bake the cupcakes for 16 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs.
• Let the cupcakes cool for a few minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost them with your choice of frosting, vanilla buttercream, chocolate buttercream, cream cheese, etc.