Vanilla Cupcakes — ALANA SMITH

Jul 16

Jul 16 Vanilla Cupcakes

Perfect party cakes for little hands.

RECIPE NOTES: If you don’t have self-raising flour, use plain/all-purpose flour (cake wheat flour in South Africa) with baking powder (2 teaspoons/10ml baking powder for every 1 cup/150g of flour).

Enough for 24 mini or 12 standard cupcakes

VANILLA CAKE BATTER

butter (unsalted), 100g

sugar (caster), 100g (1/2 cup)

vanilla (extract or paste), 15ml (1 tablespoon)

eggs, 2

self-raising flour, 112g (3/4 cup)

baking powder, 5ml (1 teaspoon)

milk (full fat), 60g (60ml or 1/4 cup)

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

butter (unsalted), 100g

icing sugar, 330g (2 cups)

vanilla (extract or paste), 15ml (1 tablespoon)

milk (full fat), 30ml (2 tablespoons)

fine salt, 1.25ml (1/4 teaspoon)

1. To start, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line your preferred (standard or mini) muffin tin with baking cups (or grease well with baking spray or butter).

2. For the cupcakes, roughly chop the unsalted butter (100g) then place it in a heat proof bowl.

3. Softened the butter for a few seconds in the microwave (until you can easily make a dent in it with your finger but not melted) then transfer the butter to a large mixing bowl (or the mixing bowl of a free-standing mixer).

4. Add the caster sugar (100g/½ cup) and vanilla extract or paste (15ml/1 tablespoon) before beating together for about 5 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy (use the paddle attachment if using a free-standing mixer).

5. Add the eggs (2) one at a time, beating well for about a minute after each addition (scraping down the sides with a spatula).

6. In a medium bowl, sieve together the dry ingredients (112g/¾ cup self-raising flour, 5ml/1 teaspoon baking powder) then add them to the butter and egg mixture.

7. Add the milk (60g/¼ cup).

8. Beat together until just combined and uniform.

9. Divide the mixture among the baking cups (about 2/3 full) before baking for about 15 minutes for mini cupcakes and about 20 minutes for standard size cupcakes (or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean).

10. Remove the baked cupcakes from the oven, then cool them out of the tin on a cooling rack.

11. To make the buttercream, roughly chop the unsalted butter (100g) then place it in a heat proof bowl.

12. Softened the butter for a few seconds in the microwave then transfer it to a large mixing bowl (or the mixing bowl of a free-standing mixer).

13. Add the remaining ingredients (330g/2 cups icing sugar, 15ml/1 tablespoon vanilla extract or paste, 30ml/2 tablespoons milk, 1.25ml/¼ teaspoon fine salt) and beat well with electric beaters (or a free-standing mixer) for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

14. Spread or pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles if you like.