Basic Cupcake

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 250 g (8oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 250 g (8oz) caster sugar
• 250 g (8oz) self-raising flour
• Pinch of salt
• 4 medium eggs
• 4 tablespoons milk
• Ice-cream scoop (optional)
• 2 x 12-hole muffin tins, lined with paper cases

Details

Servings 24
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 40mins
Adapted from goodtoknow.co.uk

Preparation

Step 1

Set oven to 190°C or Gas Mark 5.

Tip butter into bowl and beat it until softened. Add sugar, flour, salt, eggs and milk and whisk until mixture is smooth.

Use traditional-style ice-cream scoop, or spoon, to divide mixture between all paper cases.

Place both muffin tins in oven and bake for 15 minutes, then swap over position of tins over and bake for further 3-7 minutes, until both trays of cupcakes are light golden color.

Remove tins from oven. Leave cupcakes to cool in tins for few minutes, then transfer them to wire rack to cool.

Freezing: Cakes are best eaten on day that they're baked, but if necessary, once cold, they can be wrapped in freezer bags and frozen for up to 1 month. They will defrost in about 1 hour. They can be decorated with buttercream topping while they are still frozen, which will help to keep them as fresh as possible before serving.

Flavor variations: If you don't want plain cupcakes, then try one of these flavors:

Lemon: Add finely zested rind of 2 lemons to mixture, and use 4 tablespoons of lemon juice in place of milk

Chocolate: Use 2 level tablespoons less flour, and add 2 level tablespoons cocoa

Rose: Use 1-2 tablespoon less milk and replace with 1-2 tablespoons rose water

Coffee: Omit milk and, in its place, use 2 tablespoons instant coffee, dissolved in 4 tablespoons hot water