This recipe is my basic cupcake recipe. When I first started making cupcakes I went along to a class to learn how to make vanilla cupcakes and how to decorate them. I wanted to perfect my cupcakery skills (if that’s even a word!) This is the recipe. If you don’t have an electric mixer or hand held whisk then the eggs can be beaten into the creamed butter and sugar as normal. Also the recipe can be done without a mixer it just takes longer and more elbow grease. The whisking from the electric whisk creates air and makes the eggs bubbly, thus creating a lighter cupcake in the end. Also I use stork which is basically a margarine specially for baking. I just prefer to bake with this as it makes cakes more scrummy. I am doing the coffee buttercream for my brother who has just turned 21 and who loves his coffee. In my local supermarket I found chocolate covered coffee beans which I think will finish them off nicely.
Vanilla Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream Recipe
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
225g self-raising flour
225g stork margarine
225g castor sugar
4 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
For the icing
250g softened unsalted butter
500g icing sugar
1 1/2 tsp. coffee granules
1 1/2 tsp. boiling water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Method
- preheat oven to 180°c/375°f or 160°c for a fan oven
- line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake cases
- with a hand blender or free standing mixer whisk the eggs on medium until they are frothy and bubbly.
- pour eggs into another bowl and set aside
- cream butter and sugar with paddle attachment on medium until pale and smooth.
- slowly add the eggs to the butter and sugar whisking on medium. (don’t worry if it looks curdled at this point) scrape down the sides to help incorporate
- add vanilla
- weigh out flour and slowly add this to the mixture.
- when all combined fill each case 2/3s of the way full.
- place in the centre of the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes or until they are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- allow to cool on a cooling rack whilst you make the buttercream.
For the icing:
- Place the butter in a free standing mixture and mix on high until pale
- add the icing sugar bit by bit and keep the mixture on low so as not to get a face full of icing powder.
- Beat on medium/high until the mixture is soft and pale
- mix the water, coffee granules and vanilla all together and add to the icing
- beat well- if the icing is quite thick add a drop of milk to thin it out
- pipe the icing onto the cooled cupcakes or spread on the icing with a knife
- add a chocolate covered bean for decoration
Sit down with a hot drink and enjoy
Jess x
