Vanilla Cupcakes
It is my kids favourite cupcakes. I thought seeing it was Valentine’s Day I would spoil them a little. They like a soft, moist cupcake with not too much frosting. This was just that and they devoured it. I also shared some with my neighbours and they’re always excited when I bake. As I always say I am not that great a cake decorator but I do know how to bake. There was a time when I did bake a lot of novelty cakes. They weren’t perfect but I did try and I think I did pretty good for an amateur. These days I don’t have the patience.
Ingredients required
These super soft and moist cupcakes does not require any exotic ingredients. Just simple pantry staples. Due to the fact that I am a spontaneous baker I love recipes that uses ingredients that I always have at hand. Makes life simple. For these cupcakes you require cake wheat flour, butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla essence and milk. The secret is in the method.
How to make the cupcakes
There was a time in my life when I was absolutely obsessed with The Cake Boss. It’s where I first learned to make cupcakes using the technique I use for these. You will need to beat the eggs for 4 minutes. You then add the sugar and beat for another 4 minutes. This technique incorporates air into the batter thus giving you a light and airy cupcake. It works perfectly for me. When adding the eggs and sugar to the bowl first start on a low speed for about 30 seconds and then increase to a medium speed and continue beating.
As you will know if you’ve been following me for a while, I am a little crazy. I don’t always do things the way others do it. I prefer doing things that are simplified but work. In this instance I do not add little bits of flour like most do. For me adding all the flour at once works. After I add the flour to the egg/sugar mixture I give it a quick mix. Then I drizzle the milk in as I am beating. This works perfectly for me. No folding required and no over-mixing. I mix just until everything is incorporated and that’s it. These cupcakes have a fine crumb, just the way I like them. It’s literally melt-in-your mouth. Baking the cupcakes When filling the cupcake liners do not over-fill them. They should be about 3/4 full or they will have a dome and that isn’t suitable for decorating. Of course if you prefer not to decorate them then fill them more.
Buttercream Frosting
This is also my frosting recipe that I have used for many years. It is creamy and delicious. The trick to making a light and airy buttercream frosting is in the beating. You will need to beat the frosting for at least 8 minutes in total. You will need a bit of muscle power but it’s so worth it. Because it is a small batch of buttercream icing I prefer to use a hand mixer rather than a stand mixer. However, feel free to use your stand mixer if you prefer.
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