hovel

basic cupcakes

INGREDIENTS: 

Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes 

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 
  • 1 ½ cup sugar 5 large eggs, at room temperature 
  • 2 ½ cup cake and pastry flour 
  • 2 tsp baking powder 
  • ¼ tsp salt 
  • 1 cup 
  • 2% milk, at room temperature 
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Fluffy Frosting 

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature  
  • 4-6 cups of icing sugar, sifted 
  • 6 Tbsp 2% milk 
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract 
  • decorating sugar, for garnish (optional)

ASSEMBLY:

CUPCAKES

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line 2 muffin tins with large cupcake liners. 
  2. Beat the butter and sugar until well combined.
    1. While it’s mixing, crack the eggs into bowl. 
    2. You know the butter is ready when it looks fluffy and a little lighter in color: about 10 seconds.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
    1. Scrape bowl periodically to make sure everything is mixing.
  4. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt.
    1. It’s important to use cake/pastry flour for a light, fluffy cupcake.
    2. Measure the dry ingredients first, then sift.
  5. Stir the milk and vanilla together.
  6. Add the flour and the milk alternately to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour and beating well after each addition.
    1. For smooth batter, it’s important to start and end with dry ingredients: flour, milk, flour.
    2. Mix them on low speed.
  7. Spoon the batter (using an ice cream scoop is best) into the cupcake cups so they are two thirds full and bake for about 18 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins.

FROSTING

  1. For the frosting, use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or electric beaters, beat the butter until it is fluffy. Add 2 cups of the icing sugar and first beat on low speed to incorporate, then increase the speed to high, until fluffy. Add the milk and vanilla and beat in. 
  2. Add the remaining 2 cups of icing sugar and beat in, adding further up to 6 cups until a fluffy and spreadable consistency is achieved (the softness of your butter when you begin is the reason you may have to make this adjustment). 
  3. Add a little coloring paste if you wish, or separate the white frosting into a few bowls and stir a different colour into each bowl.
  4. Pipe or spread the frosting on each cupcake and sprinkle with decorating sugar if you wish. Allow the cupcakes to set for an hour before serving. 
  5. The cupcakes should be stored at room temperature and will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.