Very Vanilla Cupcakes

I didn't get to do any baking this weekend as we were out and about for most of it.

So today I started to suffer from withdrawals and decided to bake my favourite vanilla cupcakes.

Sometimes, even though there are a whole heap of luscious, decadent cake recipes out there, you just need the pure, unadulterated innocence that is vanilla.

Normally, I don't bake things that have more than one step to them if Rusty isn't home to entertain the little guy. But today I decided to have a crack at it.

It all started out well....until it came time to fill the cupcake papers with batter. Right about that time Blue decided he wasn't happy with this baking caper and made sure I knew about it.

Undeterred, I strapped him into his Ergo and off we went to distribute all the silky batter between our 24 cucpake papers.

About 5 in, my little man decided that he just wasn't gonna take it anymore and wriggled his little heart out....batter went everywhere and my plans for perfect, beautifully decorated cupcakes went out the window.....

I'm crushed!
I had plans to make these little bites of vanillary perfection stunning, to wow you with my decorating prowess.

Unfortunately, I had to hastily pipe the icing on with an 8 month old on one hip and piping bag in the other.
Not the most elegant look but they are still yummy!

Very Vanilla Cupcakes w/ Vanilla Buttercream Icing
Adapted from The Crabapple Bakery Cupcake Cookbook By Jennifer Graham.

You'll Need...

- 2 3/4 cups plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 200g softened unsalted butter
- 1 3/4 cups castor sugar
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 1 1/4 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup full fat milk at room temperature

Then you...

- Preheat your oven to 170c. Line 2 x 24 hole muffin tins with cupcake papers.
- Sift together flour & baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer cream butter for 2 mins. Add caster sugar a third at a time, beating for 1-2 mins after each addition until the mixture is almost white in colour and the sugar has almost dissolved.
- Add eggs one at a time beating until the mixture is light and fluffy after each addition.
- Add vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add a third of the flour to the creamed mixture and mix on low speed until well combined. Pour in half the room temperature milk and beat until just combined.
-Repeat this process finishing with the remaining third of the flour.
- Do not overbeat as this will toughen the mixture.

Spoon mixture into cupcake papers, filling about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 mins then turn out onto wire cake racks to cool completely before icing.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

- 200g softened unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup milk

- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

- 8 cups icing sugar (yep you read right....8 cups)

- Cream the butter until light and fluffy.
- Add the milk, vanilla extract and 4 cups of your sifted icing sugar,
- Beat for 3-4 mins or until mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the remaining 4 cups of icing sugar and beat until the mixture is smooth and of a spreadable consistency.

- Add any colouring or flavouring you wish and beat until you reach the requied colour or flavour.