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SCRATCH COOKING: Small Batch Old Fashioned Vanilla Cupcakes



Small Batch 

Old Fashioned Vanilla Cupcakes

(Makes 12)

Cupcakes:

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I use unbleached.)
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk (I used 1/2 cup milk + 1 teaspoon lemon juice-that rested a few minutes - or just milk will work fine.)
  • Sprinkles optional-you can mix some into the batter for the confetti experience, top the frosted cupcakes with sprinkles or just omit sprinkles like I did.
  • Frosting (Any frosting will do.  I don't typically use a recipe and just measure with my heart but these are the ingredients and amounts that I used for last night's cupcakes.):
Frosting:
  • 4 teaspoons melted butter
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cake:

Combine the cake ingredients in a mixing bowl and "beat" with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes. until fluff.  Scoop into a muffin pan lined with either cupcake papers or sprayed.  I did both actually.

Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees approximately 20-25 minutes, checking doneness.  They should spring back after touching when they are done.

Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

Combine the frosting ingredients and mix with a hand mixer for about 3 minutes or until nice and fluffy.  Frost the cupcakes.  You can save any leftovers for another day, either in the fridge or the freezer.  Leftover frosting is excellent on graham crackers or .... my mom has been known to eat a few bites of homemade frosting for dessert.  To each their own, I guess!

The Chit-Chat!

There's just something about making a simple, homemade dessert that feeds my soul.  I prefer to make no-pressure desserts where I just look in the fridge and pantry and find something sweet to make!  Typical simple desserts in my house would be wacky cake, homemade pudding (chocolate, microwave, or lemon), butterscotch blondies, homemade cocoa brownies, or sugar cookies, either this recipe or this one.  

Last night, Doug was out mowing at his mom's house and I knew after a long full day at work (for both of us) and then getting home late from mowing, he might like to walk into a home that smelled yummy instead of me drowsing on the couch.  He had eaten lunch out with his work friends so I already knew that he wasn't interested in a big supper, but a sweet treat before bed for my sweetie was the plan.

I wanted an easy little vanilla cupcake recipe that would make about 12 cupcakes.  I didn't want to stand at the oven baking multiple batches and then frosting cupcakes until I was sick of them.  I wanted one pan of  cupcakes going into the weekend so that we had sweet treats at the ready that didn't come from a box or a fast food joint.

These cupcakes fit the bill!  They are tender and old fashioned tasting.  They don't have ingredients that I can't pronounce.  They are made with real milk and butter, fresh eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, salt & vanilla.  The frosting is made with a little real butter, some powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk & vanilla.  That's it!  Talk about a frugal recipe!

These little vanilla cupcakes will remind you of covered dish potlucks and after supper sweets that mom and grandma used to make, back when you got to lick the beaters.  Yes - after whipping the frosting (and after a few grouchy (tired) words with my sweetie at the end of a very long day about who knows what) I lured him back in by handing him the beaters and asking, "WANT THESE?"  He did!  Hurt feelings cured with a couple of beaters covered in homemade chocolate frosting.  Sweets for the sweet! Got to love that!  After 41+ years of marriage, we have both learned a few things about peace offerings... lol

You could frost these vanilla cupcakes with whatever kind of frosting your family likes.  Leave out the cocoa powder and just make plain buttercream with this recipe, or leave the frosting off entirely.  I actually always leave a few cupcakes without frosting because Doug and our daughters sometimes prefer no frosting on their cupcakes.  These little cakes are perfect unfrosted.  They are just that good!

Put this recipe in your secret stash because one day you are going to be "craving something sweet" at your house and you will be able to quickly mix up these delicious old fashioned vanilla cupcakes and make them AT HOME YOUR WAY!  

Enjoy!


Gina










 

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