Vanilla Cupcakes - Classic Buttery & Fondant Chef Frosting

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(c) A Marcy Goldman, BetterBaking.Com Original Recipe
www.BetterBaking.Com


Finally, a light, moist golden batter that makes perfect cupcakes. No need to turn to a mix.This is also suitable for sheet cakes, and birthday cakes. You can also try this recipe with cake flour one day, if you want them a touch even more tender. The trick with great cupcakes is using butter but also - don't use too much food colouring in the icing. Easy does it. These freeze amazingly well and are as good in mini cupcakes as they are as they regular, muffin-sized models. Try using a pastry bag with a star tip to apply the icing for a professional look. The icing here is classic and made with pantry ingredients. However, for the better, best, real icing pastry chefs use, find, borrow or steal white fondant (it is soft and comes in pails or bags and decorating places or bakery supply places have it). You whip fondant pound for pound, with unsalted butter. Add extracts and tints as you like. But this is that amazing frosting everyone adores. It has no grit or crusty surface; it stays soft, it pipes on like a dream and it is the difference between a yawn and ohyoumadecupcakes' and "Wow! Cupcakes!!!!"





This is a Marcy Goldman/BetterBaking.com original recipe
This recipe is for sole, personal use of visitors of BetterBaking.Com Online Magazine. Marcy Goldman/ BetterBaking.com recipes are for your enjoyment but not to be posted or reprinted without express permission of the author/baker. Thank you kindly for respecting my copyright and happy baking. BetterBaking.Com, established 1997.

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Ingredients

  • Cupcake Batter
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (or 3/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup shortening)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 drops each, lemon and almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/4 cup warm milk
  • ....................................
  • Butter Cream Frosting
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 6-8 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk or evaporated milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla (clear is fine too)
  • Food coloring, if desired *
  • Sprinkles
  • Opt: fondant

Preparation

Step 1

Line two twelve-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners. Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a mixer or a food processor, blend the butter (or butter with shortening) until light and fluffy. Add in sugar and beat well. Add eggs and extracts. Mix dry ingredients together and fold into batter, alternating with milk. Blend on slow speed to combine, scraping down bowl sides and bottom often. Blend until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Fill cupcake liners two-thirds to almost full. Place in oven - immediately reduce heat to 350 F. Bake until cupcakes test done (tops should gently spring back when touched), about 20-24 minutes depending on size of cupcakes.

Freeze frosted or unfrosted.

Approximately 24 medium cupcakes - 36 -48 smaller cakes.

(Icing can be divided into bowl and you can tint each batch a different color)


For Pastry Chef Fondant Icing -

Use half butter and half fondant - and whip like wild until you have fluffy, silky icing. Add extracts and color as required.
Fondant is from bakery supply places. Try Sweet Celebrations, and local bakeries and cake decorating shops. It exists. It can be bought. It is worth the trouble. Or else really whip the traditional butter frosting until it is like a cloud.

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