I love a good boxed cake mix. I use them all the time for lots of different things. But when I saw this easy recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes, I knew I had to try it. And let me just say...it did NOT disappoint! These little cupcakes turned out so good. Very light and not "boxed tasting" at all! I've made them several different times and each time they turn out perfect! With Valentine's Day coming up next Monday, I wanted to share this with you just in case you need to take cupcakes somewhere...the office, school or whatever...or if you just want to make them for your family. I also included a Vanilla Buttercream that is really quick and tasty. You'll have to excuse my cake decorating attempts. I know I need LOTS of work in that area...but I wanted to show you the finished product. But really...it doesn't matter how they look...because they taste SO GOOD!
By the way...I found the cute cupcake tags here: http://www.bakerella.com/tags/ along with some other ones.
1 ½ cups self-rising flour
1 ¼ cups flour
1 cup (sticks) butter – softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs – room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with wrappers.
In a small bowl, combine flours and set aside.
In a 1 cup measuring cup, combine the milk and vanilla. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the vanilla milk, beginning and ending with the flour. With each addition, scrape down the mixing bowl and make sure the batter is well blended but do not overbeat. Carefully spoon batter into the cupcake liners, filling about ¾ full.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before icing.
3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 – 2 tablespoons whipping cream
In a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, cream together sugar and butter on low speed until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
Add vanilla and cream to butter mixture and continue to beat on medium speed for another minute or so, adding more cream if necessary to reach spreading consistency.
Tint if desired
By the way...I found the cute cupcake tags here: http://www.bakerella.com/tags/ along with some other ones.
Vanilla Cupcakes
1 ½ cups self-rising flour
1 ¼ cups flour
1 cup (sticks) butter – softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs – room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with wrappers.
In a small bowl, combine flours and set aside.
In a 1 cup measuring cup, combine the milk and vanilla. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the vanilla milk, beginning and ending with the flour. With each addition, scrape down the mixing bowl and make sure the batter is well blended but do not overbeat. Carefully spoon batter into the cupcake liners, filling about ¾ full.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before icing.
Let's get going on these little lovelies.....
Start by creaming the butter...
..then add the sugar.
Then cream that for about 3 minutes or so...until it's nice and fluffy.
Add the eggs...one at a time.
The add the vanilla milk and the flour...alternating.
Mix well....
..but don't over beat. You don't want tough cupcakes, do you?
Fill the liners about 3/4 full.
Bake! Then cool and frost!
Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 – 2 tablespoons whipping cream
In a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, cream together sugar and butter on low speed until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
Add vanilla and cream to butter mixture and continue to beat on medium speed for another minute or so, adding more cream if necessary to reach spreading consistency.
Tint if desired
This is what you need for the buttercream. And also some food
coloring if you want to tint it.
Cream the butter and sugar until it's nice and smoooooth.
Add the vanilla and cream and mix well.
Add more cream if you feel it needs it....
Then add a color if you want. I used one drop of a red gel paste.
Because I wanted pink.
