Crabapple Cupcakes' Vanilla Cupcakes

I apologise for being slack with posting lately. I work at a school (no I'm not a teacher!) and so we've recently had a couple of weeks holiday. I didn't manage to get away, but I was so busy there was just no chance to post, and then since then I've been busy back at work. But hopefully today's post of some scrumptious cupcakes will make you all forgive me!

Each Friday my work holds a morning tea for all the staff. There are groups of staff who are in charge of one morning tea every few weeks or so, and recently it was my groups turn to provide the food. I decided to put into practise what I'd learnt at a cupcake decorating class I did recently (well the basic technique anyway) and make some vanilla cupcakes. They were super easy, and despite me being a little rusty on how I was taught to spread the icing, I think they turned out pretty well!

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
200g softened unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups castor sugar
4 eggs
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 cup milk
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 170C.
2. Line two 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake papers.
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder.

4. In a separate bowl, cream the butter for 1-2 minutes.

5. Add caster sugar a third at a time, beating for 2 minutes after each addition.
6. After the last addition, beat until the mixture is light and fluffy and the sugar has almost dissolved.
7. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each minute or until mixture is light and fluffy.
8. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

9. Add a third of the flour to the creamed mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Add half of the milk and beat until combined. Repeat this process.
10. Add the remaining third of the flour and beat until thoroughly combined; do not over-beat or the mixture will toughen.

11. Spoon mixture into cupcake papers, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the trays immediately and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients:
220g softened unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tbs vanilla extract
8 cups icing sugar

Instructions:
1. Cream the butter for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add milk, vanilla extract, and half the sifted icing sugar, and beat for at least 3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy.

3. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat for a further 3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy and of a spreadable consistency. Add extra milk if the mixture is too dry, or extra icing sugar if the mixture is too wet.

4. Mix through food colouring of your choice (if you wish) and spread icing over cupcakes.

Recipe Source:
Crabapple Bakery Cupcake Cookbook
Jennifer Graham