Basic Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

It is always handy to have a trusty vanilla cupcake recipe on hand. This is currently my favourite one. I made these cute mini vanilla cupcakes for a first birthday. The best thing about the recipe is that it is easily adapted to suit whatever theme you're going with!

Basic Vanilla Cupcakes
Adapted from Julie Biuso's recipe in Taste Magazine

Ingredients:

125g Butter (softened)
1/2 C Caster Sugar
1 t Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs (at room temperature)
1 C Flour
1 t Baking Powder
100 ml Milk

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and line a muffin tin or two mini muffin tins with cupcake cases.
• Beat butter until smooth and creamy.
• Gradually beat in sugar and continue beating for several minutes, until fluffy and lighter in colour. 
• Add vanilla.
• Add eggs one at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition.
• Sift flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl.
• Add dry ingredients and milk in three additions, starting and finishing with the dry ingredients.
• Spoon mixture into cupcakes cases.
• Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until cakes are light golden brown and springy to touch. If you are making mini cupcakes check on them early, to be on the safe side.
• Cool on wire racks before icing.

Buttercream Icing:
220g Butter (softened)
1 t Vanilla Extract
3-4 C Icing Sugar
2-3 T Milk

• Beat butter until light and creamy.
• Add vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.
• Sift icing sugar into a separate bowl and gradually add to the butter , one cup at a time.
• When mixture becomes dry and lumpy add a tablespoon of milk until you reach the consistency that you want. 
• Pipe onto cupcakes or spread with a knife for a rustic look.