We picked a perfect day for whipping up cupcakes. Wet, grey & dreary outside while we huddle around in a warm kitchen, icing soft dreamy pink vanilla cupcakes. Very grateful to have dear S come over to help with my little cupcake cookout....if only we didn't have to eat them little precious things!
Recipe for basic vanilla sponge
(tried many recipes and found this be fail-proof)
Ingredients
225g cake flour (gives a lighter texture than your regular plain flour)
225g unsalted butter (softened)
225g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 medium eggs
Preheat your oven to 175C. Whisk sugar and butter together until they turn pale yellow and creamy. Add sieved flour, vanilla extract and baking powder. Give it another quick whisk. Add eggs one by one until the mixture resembles a thick soft, almost dropping consistency. The rest is simple. Spoon the mixture 3/4 of the way into cases (i got those sweet pink mini souffle cases from Phoon Huat). Bake for 10-12 mins or insert your trusty toothpick & you are golden when it comes up clean. Cool before frosting
Recipe for pink buttercream icing
Ingredients
225g unsalted butter (for a lighter texture, substitute 1/2 butter for vegetable shortening. Crisco preferred)
1 tsp vanilla extract
400g sifted icing
2 tsp of cold milk
Beat butter until soft . Slowly add your sieved icing sugar and whisk until sugar is completely incorporated (this can take a good 10mins so do use your standing processor). Stop when the mixture is light and fluffy. Last, drip in the vanilla extract and milk (if the mixture is too stiff). Streak your pink colour gel into the frosting and give it one final whisk.
Now the fun part. Icing the cupcakes! For the final touch, sprinkle on whatever tickles your fancy...My personal favourites are the pink & gold pearls (so very elegant) and the mini pastel stars (for the little ones)
