Making Cupcakes with Noni

I am definitely cake-challenged - at least cupcake-challenged.  I have a difficult time knowing how much cake batter should go into each cupcake tin.  It's either not enough, or, more often than not, overfilled.  I end up with flanged sides to the tops of my cupcakes.  Oh well.  I've accepted my limitations and figure I can cover up most of those errors in "batter judgement" with frosting.  Frosting covers a multitude of sins, yes?  And, to make the cupcakes even more acceptable, I had my two-year-old grand-munchkin in the kitchen helping.  His job was to decorate the frosted cupcakes with sprinkles.  And oh what a wonderful job he did.  Especially on the little cupcake he decided was his.  I frosted, he sprinkled.  And ate.  And licked the frosting off of anything that was within arm's reach.  :-D  Noni was accommodating.  I even frosted his little finger a couple of times.  His little works of art will be served tonight after dinner.  And I will treasure these moments always...

Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes

1-1/2 cups self-rising flour
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream Icing (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a small bowl, combine the flours.  Set aside.
In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, cream butter until smooth.  Add 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 three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla extract.  With each addition, beat until the ingredients are just incorporated, but do not overbeat.  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 cake tester inserted into the middle of a 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.

Makes 24 standard-sized cupcakes or 48 mini-cupcakes


Vanilla Buttercream Icing
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, place the butter, 4 cups of the confectioners' sugar, then the milk and the vanilla extract.  On medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 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.

Yield:  enough icing to generously frost 24 standard cupcakes or 48 mini-cupcakes

Source:   More From Magnolia, copyright 2004