It’s been a while since I made cupcakes to include in the donations I make on Fridays. I like to keep things simple, especially in a busy week, and these cupcakes are actually the definition of simple: I use a method that mixes butter with flour from the beginning, no creaming needed. It makes a soft crumb, tender cake, and it is lightening fast to prepare. What’s not to like?

VANILLA CUPCAKES
(adapted from several sources)

for the buttercream use this recipe

120g all-purpose flour
150g granulated sugar
40g butter, unsalted, removed from the fridge for 30 minutes
1 large egg
120mL milk
1 + 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla paste or extract
1/4 tsp salt

Heat the oven to 350F and line a cupcake pan with paper baking cups. Recipe makes 9 to 10 cupcakes.

Put the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and butter cut in small pieces in the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low until the butter is in very small pieces, almost like sand.

Whisk the egg with the milk and vanilla, add slowly to the mixer running in low-speed. Once it is almost smooth, increase the speed to high for a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom of the bowl once.

Stop the mixer and make sure the batter is fully smooth, mixing by hand with a spatula. Add batter to the 9 cupcakes, filling half-way full only. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Leave cool completely before decorating.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Leave a small portion of the buttercream without any color, and cover the top of the cupcakes. Dye one part orange and one part green (I used a mixture of Avocado and Leaf Green). For the design, my inspiration was a recent post by Chef Faye that she shared to make gorgeous mini-loaf cakes (check them out here). I used a medium size open star tip for the pumpkin, a small leaf tip and a PME #2 for the vines. A little golden sanding sugar for the border.

Really loved how these turned out and hope they made someone smile…

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