Quick & easy cupcakes

My first actual entry! I'm not too happy with how the pictures turned out... the camera took them in incredibly low resolution and I have no idea how to change the setting. 

I knew that I wanted to make cupcakes. My first idea was to go for strawberry cupcakes, because anything strawberry is delicious, but the recipe I found that looked the best had 6 eggs and 4 sticks of butter. I'm not the kind of person that tends to care about things like butter and sugar when I'm baking, because I find it a given that whatever I'm making is going to be pretty bad for you, regardless. But those numbers made me stop, especially since I have little (read: zero) self-control around anything sweet.

I guess as a result I went in the opposite extreme. These cupcakes have only one (1, one) stick of butter, including the frosting. That's health conscious.

Those strawberry cupcakes are still lurking in my brain. I think I'll have to end up making them, but I'll wait until I have an army to feed. 

Anyway, easy cupcakes. The recipe says it makes one dozen, which is perfect when you're baking for the family (or, if you're me, yourself) since you won't have many left over. However, I only got 9, because the batter is seriously delicious. I only wish I was joking.

Here's what you'll need:

Butter,  flour, sugar, vanilla, salt, baking powder, baking soda, milk, egg. Easy, right? (I forgot to include the powdered sugar in this shot. Don't be like me.)

 

 Mix up all the dry ingredients, plus the butter, until you get an even, sandy mixture.

Add half of the milk and vanilla mixture, mix until just combined. Then add the second half of the mixture, mix until it all just comes together. Then proceed to eat three cupcakes worth of batter. No regrets.

Spoon batter evenly between a dozen lined muffin cups and bake.

Turn out on cooling rack until completely cool.

Whip up the frosting (pun intended), frost, decorate with sprinkles.

Enjoy!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream 

from Joy the Baker, who adapted it from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook 

yield: one dozen

Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

scant 3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

pinch of salt

3 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter

1/2 cup whole milk

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or use a handheld beater and beat on slow speed until the mixture is a sandy consistency and everything is combined.  Gradually pour in half of the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.  

Whisk the egg, vanilla and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated.  Scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side or the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Continue mixing until the batter is smooth.  Just a few minutes.  Do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into paper lined muffin tins, dividing between the 12 cups.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pan, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. 

Frosting

Ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

5 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter

2 tablespoons whole milk

1/4 tablespoon vanilla 

Method:

Beat the powdered sugar and butter together in an electric mixer fit with a paddle attachment on medium low speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.  Turn the mixer speed to low.  Combine the milk and the vanilla extract and slowly stream it into the butter and sugar mixture.  Once incorporated, turn the mixer to high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.  The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.  If you find that your frosting is getting to warm in the summer months, stop beating and set in the fridge for a few minutes.  Once chilled, hook the frosting back up the the mixer and beat once more until you reach the desired consistency.