There must be hundreds upon hundreds of different kinds of cupcakes out there. Lucky for us there are also very many cupcake shops to choose them from. The loads of choice however make it difficult for someone as indecisive as myself. It is easy to find yourself with your jaw to the floor when trying to make your final decision. There is, however, one flavor combination that never seems to fail and that’s vanilla cake with vanilla frosting.
I decided to use the Magnolia recipe because their humble shop started my obsession with these miniature sized cakes with loads of frosting. My roommate from college and I would walk over to Magnolia whenever we got the chance. She always ordered vanilla cake with chocolate frosting and I always ordered vanilla cake with vanilla frosting. Old habits die hard.
So when there was a slew of birthdays this past month I decided to make loads of cupcakes! The great thing about the cupcake craze is that you don’t feel childish for making them if other adults are eating them too! These cupcakes got great responses from many of the birthday recipients however the best reaction was my good friend’s three year old nephew. He looked up at me with the cutest eyes and said “you make delicious candy.” Delicious candy indeed.
Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcakes
Adapted from The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the dry ingredients in parts, alternating with the milk. Also add the vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated. However, do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
Magnolia’s Vanilla Frosting
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
