Name: Easy vanilla cupcakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: Vanilla cupcakes; 125 gram butter, chopped, at room temperature; 2/3 cup caster sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 eggs; 1 1/2 cup self-raising flour, sifted; 1/4 cup milk; coloured sprinkles, icing decoration flowers, to serve; Buttercream; 125 gram butter, chopped, at room temperature; 1 1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted; 2 tablespoon milk; a few drops pink food colouring

These easy vanilla cupcakes are the perfect starter recipe for aspiring bakers. The ideal base to experiment with different colourings and decorations.

No birthday party is complete without a batch of these. They’re easy to make (and eat), the perfect edible gift and flavour combinations are endless. Let’s get baking.

Looking for more cupcake recipes?

How to use vanilla beans

There are a couple of things you can do, though, to get the most bang for your buck, as our Test Kitchen experts show.

When you’re buying vanilla beans, opt for plump ones as they tend to have more flavour.

Start by flattening the bean with your fingers then, with a short, sharp knife, cut horizontally along the bean.

Use the tip of the knife, blunt side down, to remove the seeds, running it from the tip to the end.

If you’re infusing a liquid (like in milk, for these spiced ginger puddings with vanilla custard) add the seeds and the bean to the pan.

After cooking, though, don’t throw the bean away; you can add it to a jar of sugar, where it will continue to infuse for a deliciously fragrant vanilla sugar that you can use in these vanilla strawberry swirl macarons.

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Ingredients

Vanilla cupcakes

125 gram butter, chopped, at room temperature

2/3 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup self-raising flour, sifted

1/4 cup milk

coloured sprinkles, icing decoration flowers, to serve

Buttercream

125 gram butter, chopped, at room temperature

1 1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted

2 tablespoon milk

a few drops pink food colouring

Method

Vanilla cupcakes

1.Preheat oven to moderate, 180°C. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper patty cases.

2.In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3.Fold in flour, alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Spoon mixture into patty cases until two-thirds full.

4.Bake 20-25 minutes, or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in pan 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

5.Meanwhile, to make buttercream, in a small bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter until very pale. Gradually add half icing sugar; beat until combined. Add milk, remaining icing sugar and pink colouring; beat until smooth.

6.Spread icing over cupcakes. Place sprinkles on a shallow plate; roll edges of cake in sprinkles. Place flower on centre.

Women's Weekly Food