Vanilla Cupcakes

I am a sucker for anything with frosting on it. So, cupcakes are the perfect treat for me and these cupcakes are A-MA-ZING! The rich and creamy frosting is the perfect compliment to these light, fluffy cupcakes. I rushed the frosting a little because I was so excited to taste it with the cake, so, I suggest beating it until they are really thick. It still tasted delicious, but I didn’t get the height I wanted when I iced and decorated the cupcakes.

Cake Ingredients (from The “”Magnolia Bakery Cookbook”):

1. 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1 - preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 - line muffin pans with cupcake liners

3 - In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flours and add in four parts, alternating with the milk and the vanilla extract, beating well after each addition. Divide batter between muffin cups. About 3/4 full.

4 - Bake about 20 - 22 minutes.

5 - Cool completely before icing.

Traditional Vanilla Buttercream Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft
• 8 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I would add more because I think the flavor gets lost in all the sugar)

Directions:

Put butter in large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and the milk and the vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining sugar gradually, 1 cup at a time,until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. (you may not need all 8 cups) Add food coloring, if desired, and mix thoroughly.

Use and store icing at room temperature. Refrigerating will cause it to set.