Thank you all so much for the feedback on my cupcakes I didn’t think the post would have been such a big hit!! I LOVE when others are inspired to give it a go so here is the recipe I use…please tag me in any pictures as I would love to see them! More importantly if you live local to me im more than happy to be the taste tester 🙂
Vanilla Cupcakes
Makes 12-18 cupcakes
For the cupcakes
- 220g Plain Flour
- 280g Caster Sugar
- 3 level tsp baking powder
- 80g unsalted butter/baking margarine
- 240ml milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract or 1/4 of vanilla bean paste
For the Frosting
- 500g icing sugar
- 160g unsalted butter
- 50ml milk
- couple of drops of vanilla extract (vanilla paste is too strong for frosting)
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180c for convention oven or 170c for a fan assisted oven. Line 12 muffin size cupcake cases in a 12 hole muffin tin. I can usually get 18 out of the mix but it depends on what size of cases you use.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and add the butter. Mix for a few seconds then add the caster sugar. Using a freestanding electric mixer with a whisk attachment (or handheld mixer) beat the ingredients on a slow speed until you have a sandy consistency. The mixer I have is this Bosch one here.
With the mixer still going pour in 120ml of the milk and mix it all in.
Whisk the eggs, vanilla extract and another 120ml of milk in a jug and add gradually to the mixture. Make sure that you scrape the sides of the bowl to incorporate all the mixture. Continue to mix for 2-3 minutes.
Divide the mixture between the 12 cases. I find it easier to use a potato or ice cream scoop to do this. If you have some mixture left over then you can either make the 12 a bit bigger or do a few more cupcakes after you remove these ones from the oven. Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Check the cakes at 20 minutes (not before) using a stainless steel skewer. If any mixture is on the skewer then put back in the oven for the extra 5 minutes.
Once they are cooked put them on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting them as the icing will melt if the cupcakes are hot.
FROSTING
Place the butter in your mixer to soften it up a bit on a slow speed.
Sift your icing sugar and add this one spoonful at a time to the butter in the mixer at a slow speed still. Once it is all added in, slowly add the milk and vanilla extract (if you are adding colouring to the frosting do so at this point too). When all of this is combined turn your mixer up to full speed and whisk it for about 8-10 minutes making sure it isn’t grainy but a bit thicker and smooth ready to pipe.
DECORATING
To pipe I always use a disposable icing bag as it saves washing it up afterwards which can be messy. Take your piping bag and piping nozzle and measure the height of the nozzle against the V shape of the bag then cut a hole so the nozzle will fit inside the bag.
With the bag in your hand use a spatula to add the frosting to the piping bag. It is easier to put it all in at once rather than add more later as that can be messy. Squeeze the frosting down towards the nozzle then twist the top of the icing bag to get any air out of it. I usually hold the nozzle upright above the cupcake to pipe. Pipe from the outside in so the icing stands up. If you want it flatter , start inside out. Add any decoration to the cupcake that you want and there you go!
Happy baking!
