Vanilla cupcake with butter cream frosting

 I baked these cupcakes for a bake sale at my kids school last week. I have baked vanilla cupcake several times using different recipes, but this is the first time I decorated them with buttercream, did this specially for the kids.I made two batches of them (about 24) and felt happy to see that they vanished within the first 30 mins of the sale.

Recipe source: Joy of Baking

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

2/3 cup of white sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

zest of 1 lemon (I used 1/ of a lemon)

11/2 cup All purpose flour

11/2 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup milk

For the Buttecream

2 cus of Icing sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tblsp milk

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar using the hand mixer until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides.

Add the vanilla extract, lemon zest and beat well for a minute.

In a seperate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

Now add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture alternating with the milk. Beat till incorporated.

Fill in the muffin cups evenly.Bake for 18 - 20 mins or until the tip is browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes about 12 cupcakes.

For the Buttercream , beat the butter till light and creamy.Gradually add the sugar and beat till fluffy (about 2 mins).  Now add the vanilla extract and milk and beat for another minute. Pipe the buttercream using the large star tip that you have on hand or spread the buttercream on the top using a butter knife.

Tip: the butter should definitely be at room temperature to make the buttercream mixture.I learned this the hard way :)

Sending this to the following events

" Food Palette series - white" hosted by Akheela at Torview  

Cakes and cookies - Xmas event at "My Culinary Creations"

Its time to jingle again - at AsanKhana
Champa's bake -off event at 'The Versatile Kitchen'