Yummy vanilla Cupcakes Recipe

I made these cupcakes for my brothers 18th birthday party, and they were my favourite out of the ones I've been making from my little recipe book. Maybe that's because I'm getting better, or because I'm paying more attention to things, like leaving the butter out to soften, adding eggs in one at a time and actually sieving the flour! Okay so I do those things sometimes, but not always and while they do taste nice, the taste better when done properly, who would have thought eh? They were sweet, springy and were inhaled by all the party guests! Here's how to make them with a few modifications from me and it takes about half an hour for prep and cooking. It says it makes 18 but I filled a baking tray with 12 cupcakes, but they were bigger than what they were meant to be I guess.

Ingredients

140 g/5 oz  softened butter

140 g/5 oz caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

200 g/7 oz self-raising flour

Topping

(note, this makes a LOT of icing cream so you can half it if you want)

225 g/8 oz softened butter

1 tbsp cream or milk

350 g/12 oz caster sugar

Cake decorations of your choice (I used blue crystals that look purple)

Method

001 - Line the muffin pans with the paper cases and turn on the oven to 190 degrees/375 F/Gas mark 5 to preheat the oven.

002 - Place the butter and the sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the eggs one by one, then sift in the flour and fold into the mixture. I put half of the flour in, then folded it in, then did the other half. Then spoon the batter into the paper cases. (The batter wasn't runny for me like with other mixtures, but more of a gloopy paste).

003 - Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden and springy to the touch. (Mine took about 15-18 minutes but my ovens a bit weird, I kept checking on them though from 12 minutes onwards). Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely or just take them out of the muffin pan and let them cool on your countertops like I did.

004 - While they're cooling you can then make the topping. Place the butter and milk in a bowl and beat together. Gradually sift in the sugar and beat until smooth. It should be thick and taste sweet. If its too buttery add in more sugar, I did but I'm not sure how much more I added, I just kept adding a bit and tasted it till it was how I wanted. 

005 - You can use a pastry bag with a nozzle to pipe the cream on top of the cupcakes when they're cooled, or just spread it on using a knife/spoon like I did. Then add your decorations of choice. I placed my cupcakes in a tin I was keeping them in till later on and sprinkled the blue crystals carefully over the tops and voila! They were done.

I hoped you liked that and the cupcakes if you decide to make them, they were gorgeous! I also made chocolate versions where I added in one spoon full of cocoa (so then you take away one spoon full of flour) and 25 grams of melted chocolate to the batter, then used ready made chocolate icing for the topping and white chocolate sprinkles to add. I can make chocolate topping but its annoys me as it never gets how I want it, and it's a bit easier when you're preparing for a party!