LUSCIOUS VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Lots of people love chocolate and tend to see vanilla as somewhat boring.  I would beg to differ.  Sometimes the simplicity of vanilla can be wonderful. These lovely little cupcakes are a great example of this. A nice, tender crumbed cake and a rich tasting buttercream icing. Just wonderful.

LUSCIOUS VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM 

Cupcakes

120ml full cream milk

120g plain flour

140g caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

40g of unsalted butter softened

1 egg

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees.  Line a 12 whole cupcake tin with paper liners.

2. Place all ingredients in the jug, in the order specified, with the kneading blade.
3. Select Pastry Program P1. 30 seconds before the end of the program, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the jug.

4. When the program is complete, fill each of the paper liners 2/3 full with cake batter.
5. Place the tin on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake bounces back when touched in the centre.
6. Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.
7. When completely cool, icing with vanilla buttercream.

Vanilla Buttercream

250g icing mixture

80g unsalted butter, softened

25ml whole milk

1/4tsp vanilla extract

1. Place all ingredients in the jug with the kneading blade. Set Speed 8 for 45 seconds. 

2. Pause the program after 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the jug. Resume program.

3. Apply icing to the cupcakes.

NOTE:- the quantity of buttercream above is sufficient if you are spreading the icing on the top of the cupcakes.  If you wish to pipe it (as per the picture above), you should double the quantity of ingredients.