Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

• For the Cupcakes
• Unsalted Butter / Stork (150g)
• Caster Sugar (150g)
• Self Raising Flour (150g)
• 3 Medium Eggs (150g)
• Vanilla Extract (1 teaspoon)
• For the Buttercream
• Unsalted Butter (250g)
• Icing Sugar (500g)
• Vanilla Extract (1 teaspoon)

Method

• For the Cupcakes

1. Heat oven to 180°C. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake cases.
2. Cream the butter/stork and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and sieve in the flour. Mix until smooth.
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 cupcake cases. Bake for 18-20 minutes (I baked mine for 18) until the cupcakes have become domed, are springy, and a skewer/toothpick comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool for a minute in the cupcake pan, then transfer the cupcakes in their cases to a wire cooling rack. Allow to fully cool before decorating with buttercream.

• For the Buttercream

1. Beat room temperature butter for a few minutes using a hand or stand mixure until the butter has softened.
2. Add in the vanilla extract and icing sugar, and beat till smooth and the mixture has softened.
3. Use a spatula to add the buttercream to a large piping bag with a 2D Closed Star Piping tip.
4. Pipe on buttercream rose swirls on to the cupcakes!

Notes

• - This basic recipe can be made fancier by sprinkling on some funfetti / 100s and 1000s, nuts, or chocolate such as maltesers.