Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes

 

Images by Baby_Birdie
Recipe courtesy of www.foodnetwork.com

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

Preheat oven to 180C. In a small bowl, combine and sieve the flours and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter on medium speed 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 three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, stir in the ingredients until incorporated but 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 a muffin tray filled with cupcake cases, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Vanilla Butter Icing

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 6 to 8 cups icing sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add four cups of sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about three to five minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about two minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. (I didn't, so my icing was a little smoother on top of the cupcakes when it had hardened.) If desired, add a few drops of food colouring 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 three days (though I haven't tried!).