Oh Cupcake

Cupcakes have now become a trend in all our lives. Be it at parties, weddings or at home it is a must - have. 

People are now opting for themed cupcakes to compliment any function, its an easy on the go cake.

And be it frosted or plain they are delicious either way.

In the past I have tried many recipes to achieve the perfect cupcake, but I always come back to this recipe and will not try use another.

This recipe is courtesy of my loving mom and have been a trusted family recipe for generations. It has a soft, light and airy texture and it is the perfect canvas for any frosting.

Vanilla Cupcakes

250g Butter / Margarine

1 3/4 cups Sugar

4 Eggs

2 tsp Vanilla Essence

3 cups Flour, sifted twice

3 tsp Baking powder

3/4 cup Milk

1/2 cup Water

Using electric beaters cream butter and sugar until very pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla and beat well. Add flour a little at time. You will now have a very thick batter. Then mix milk and water together and pour in slowly whilst mixing. You should have a smooth batter once done.

Line 2 x 12 hole cupcake trays with cupcake liners and fill each about 3/4 way up. Bake in oven pre heated at 180'c for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes clean when inserted into cake. 

Allow to cool and decorate with butter cream frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

100g Butter / Margarine

2 cups Icing Sugar

a drop of vanilla

1/4 cup Milk, heated and cooled

Beat butter until pale and creamy and then add in icing sugar a bit at a time. Beat thoroughly until creamy. At this stage you will have a very think frosting. Add in a drop of vanilla and a teaspoon of milk at a time. You won't be using all of the milk. You will want to achieve a soft frosting which you can pipe, and it should not be runny so i must stress a little milk at a time. Fill piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe swirls.

Happy Baking!!