1. Allow butter, egg, and egg yolks to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups or forty-eight 1 3/4-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. If using vanilla bean, use a small sharp knife to scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean. Set seeds aside. In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 1 minute, scraping sides of bowl. Add egg, egg yolks, vanilla bean seeds (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract), and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, beat until combined. Alternately add flour mixture and whipping cream to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined (batter will be thick.)

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter into cups.

4. Bake about 20 minutes for 2 1/2- inch cupcakes, about 15 minutes for 1 3/4-inch cupcakes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcake muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks. Spread desired frosting onto tops of cupcakes.