Vanilla Cupcakes
Course: Cakes, Bakes and PastriesCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy12
servings15
minutes20
minutes339
kcal35
minutesA basic recipe for the ever favourite cupcake, which can be utilised for so many uses.Other variations in name from other countries include fairy cake; bun cake, and patty cake, but they all refer to a small cake designed to serve one person, which may be baked in a small thin paper or aluminium cup.The earliest documentation of these little gems was in a book published in 1828 called ” Seventy-five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats” by Eliza Leslie.By the early 19th century, the “Cupcake” had two versions of description, a cake measured out by a “Cup”, and a cake baked in a “Cup”, this is the version that is referred to of today’s Cupcakes.
Ingredients
110 g Butter softened
110 g Golden Castor Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
110 g Self Raising Flour
For The Butter Cream
150 g Butter Softened
300 g Icing Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
3 Tbsp Milk
Directions
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and fill a 12 cupcake tray with cupcake cases.
- Beat together the softened butter and golden caster sugar, (You may want to use an electric beater here) until light and fluffy in texture.
- Whisk the eggs, and slowly add to the butter mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl at intervals.
- Add ½ tsp vanilla extract, and gently fold in the flour and a pinch of salt until just combined.
- Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases.
- Bake for around 15 mins or until golden brown.
- Test the cakes with a skewer or similar to make sure they are fully cooked through.(The skewer should come out clean).
- Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Buttercream
- Make sure the butter is nice and soft(not melted) and add the icing sugar, vanilla extract and salt.
- Combine all the ingredients by hand first to avoid a face full of icing sugar, then beat together until smooth. Now beat in the milk.
- If you want to colour your buttercream now is the time to add your chosen colouring.
- The buttercream is now ready to either pipe or spoon onto your cooled cupcakes.