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.

Grown Up's Chocolate Cake

I love deserts.

I am particularly fond of wildly decadent, three tiered, mousse covered concoctions that make your thighs expand just by moving within 5 feet of the desert bar at your local restaurant.

You know the kind I mean.
The sort where you convince your partner to share with you because you couldn't possibly eat an entire slice all by yourself - but then you polish it off before they even manage to lift their fork from the napkin??

Come on, tell me you do it to?
Don't leave me hanging here....

Well, this is not one of those cakes!

Because as fabulous as they are I think that sometimes we all need a recipe that is moist, rich, delicious and versatile...
This choccy cake will take you from dinner party to BBQ and even to a kids birthday party just by changing the icing.
I've used a ganache for the adults but a chocolate buttercream would be divine too!

Grown Up's Chocolate Cake

Adapted from taste.com.au

- 1 1/3 cup plain flour
- 2 tablespoon cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 200g good quality dark chocolate chopped
- 225g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 4 eggs (at room temperature)

- 1/2 cup milk (at room temperature)

Ganache

- 150g good quality dark chocolate chopped
- 125ml cream
- 20g butter

Then you....

- Preheat your oven to 160c. Grease and line a 24cm cake tin. I prefer to use a springform pan as they are less likely to decide to hold onto your cake and not let it go.

- Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder & bi-carb soda together in a bowl and set aside.

- Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water (don't let the water touch the bowl) until it is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

- While all this is happening cream your butter with an electric mixter for 1-2 min or until creamy. Add the caster sugar and beat until light and fluffy and almost white in colour.
- Move your mixer down to medium speed and beat in vanilla and then eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
- Pour in cooled chocolate mixture and beat until combined.
- Beat in a third of the sifted mixture, followed by a third of the milk - repeating until all is added.
- Beat until smooth but be careful not to overbeat as this will cause your cake to toughen and resemble a hockey puck!
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Cool for 5 mins in pan before transfering onto cake rack to cool completely.

To make Ganache....

- Combine all ingredients in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pan of barely immering water until smooth.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken for 30mins before slathering all over your finished cake.
- Dancing around the kitchen to bad country music while licking the bowl is entirely optional!