Vanilla Cupcakes

Continuing on from the theme of my first post, I'd like to share with you my favourite Vanilla Cupcake recipe. I use this recipe when I wish to bake cupcakes that I plan to decorate with fondant, however it is a great standard to have in one's repertoire. The cake texture is lovely and fluffy and melts in your mouth.  These cupcakes are always a hit with any audience. 

The key to these cupcakes is simplicity. I love that there are few ingredients and that the recipe uses less butter and sugar than some of the many others I've tried. Variations are also very easy to work in with this recipe, so you could add choc-chips, berries, or whatever your heart desires.

Ingredients for 12 Vanilla Cupcakes

150g softened unsalted butter

150g caster sugar

1tps vanilla extract

1tps finely grated lemon rind (optional)

175g self-raising flour

3 eggs

100ml milk or buttermilk

Place cupcake papers in a 12-hole cupcake tray. Good quality paper cases do make all the difference in helping your cupcake rise to the perfect height. I buy my cupcake papers from speciality cake decorating stores like Cake Decorating Central. They come in an array of colours and patterns. But be warned, once you start buying these fantastic papers you are going to want to buy the whole range!

Pre-heat your oven to 180'C.

Use an electric mixer or beaters to combine softened butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon rind and a pinch of salt until the mixture is a pale yellow and is starting to become fluffy. This should not take more than a minute or so.

Sift flour into the mixture and add eggs. Beat together while slowly adding milk. The mixture should look thick and creamy.

Using a tablespoon, place the mixture into each cupcake paper. I find that the mixture should roughly reach the 3/4 mark of the paper cases in order to ensure the cake rises to the right height (particularly for icing/decorating).

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted skewer from the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and leave the cupcakes in the tray for 5 minutes before moving them onto a wire rack.

If you are planning to ice your cupcakes (of course you are...they're not the same plain!), make sure that they are completely cool before doing so. Although they are also great served warm with an oozey gooey chocolate fudge sauce and ice-cream on the side.