Kids and Cupcakes: Bake Some Kitchen Magic

Vanilla Cupcakes
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ fine sea salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup whole milk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a cupcake pan with wrappers.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until fluffy, beating down as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until blended. Beat in vanilla. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions; mix thoroughly.

Fill each pan cavity 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and frost as desired. Makes 12 cupcakes

Vanilla Buttercream Icing
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, almond extract, or lemon juice

Put butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. At low speed mix add powdered sugar. Gradually add milk until desired consistency is reached. Add flavoring.

Vanilla Cupcakes. Photo used under creative commons from berkielynn

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a cupcake pan with wrappers.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder, cocoa, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until blended. Beat in vanilla. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions; mix thoroughly.

Fill each pan cavity 2/3 full and bake for 15-17 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and frost as desired. Makes 16 cupcakes.

Chocolate Buttercream Icing
16 ounces powdered sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
5-7 tablespoons whipping cream or half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together powdered sugar and cocoa; set aside. Put butter in the bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. At low speed add powdered sugar mixture. Gradually add whipping cream or half and half until desired consistency is reached. Add vanilla.

Starwberry Cupcakes
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 ¼ cups fresh strawberries, crushed
whipped cream frosting, strawberry pieces, sparkling sugar for decorating

Whipped Cream Frosting
2 cups whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a muffin pan with cupcake wrappers

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and granulated sugar; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together eggs, oil, and almond extract until well blended. Gradually add flour mixture until batter is smooth. Gently fold in strawberries. Fill each muffin cavity 3/4 full and bake for 30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. Makes 24 cupcakes

To make whipped cream frosting: beat together cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in almond extract.

To decorate cupcakes: Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost with whipped cream frosting and decorate with strawberry pieces and sparkling sugar. After serving be sure to refrigerate any left overs.

The Cupcake Club on Squidoo is an ever-growing collection of the best cupcake recipes ever. It's also home for cute and unique decorating ideas, debates about chocolate vs. vanilla frosting, recommendations for the best kitchen gadgets, cupcake sightings at hot bakeries around town, colorful cupcake photography... If you've got a sweet tooth for cupcakes, you're in the right place. You can make pages for your favorite cupcakes (and even earn money from them).



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