RECIPES

Vanilla Cupcakes

An awesome ‘pick me up’ or a fun interactive kids day in the kitchen. This cupcake recipe calls on giggles and smiles.

Makes 24

Ingredients

  • 250 g unsalted butter (250 ml), softened
  • 410 g castor sugar (500 ml)
  • 220 g self-raising flour (400 ml)
  • 175 g cake flour (300 ml)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 250 ml milk
  • 5 ml vanilla essence or seeds of 1 vanilla pod

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan/ Gas mark 4.
  2. Line 2 x muffin pans with cupcake baking liners.
  3. In the bowl of a large electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth.
  4. Add the sugar gradually, and beat until white and fluffy, all the sugar being dissolved.
  5. Meanwhile, sift together the flours.
  6. Add the eggs one at a time, with 15 ml flour at each addition.
    Stop and scrape the bowl down well.
  7. Add the flour in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla essence. Do not over-beat, but make sure that the mixture is well blended; scrape the bowl down intermittently.
  8. Using an ice-cream scoop with a built-in release, fill paper cupcake liners 2/3rd full.
  9. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean, or the surface of the cupcake springs back when touched with a finger.
  10. Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack before filling and icing accordingly, using vanilla buttercream or a flavour of your choice. Use a chocolate ganache icing for a very smooth, velvety texture.

Variation:

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Use half white sugar and half brown sugar; 200 g dark chocolate, melted; and replace milk with buttermilk. Add melted chocolate into the mixture after adding the eggs. Top with chocolate ganache icing, or a chocolate butter icing.

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