Cupcakes
About This Dish
Cupcakes are the perfect single-serving dessert. You get your own little cake, your own little frosting, and you don't have to share unless you want to. I make these when I want something sweet but don't want to commit to a whole cake. The base recipe is simple—flour, sugar, butter, eggs—but you can customize it however you want. Add chocolate chips, or lemon zest, or swap out some of the flour for cocoa powder. The frosting is where you can really go wild. Buttercream is classic, but cream cheese frosting is my favorite. It's tangy and not too sweet, which balances out the cake perfectly. These are the kind of thing that makes any day feel a little bit special.
Flavors
Nutrition Information
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Butter
- Eggs
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Buttercream frosting
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
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1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
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2
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This takes a few minutes, but it's worth it—it makes the cupcakes lighter.
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3
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add vanilla extract.
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4
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
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5
Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined—don't overmix.
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6
Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full. Don't fill them all the way, or they'll overflow.
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7
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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8
Let them cool completely before frosting. If you frost them while they're warm, the frosting will melt.
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9
Make your buttercream: beat butter until smooth, then gradually add powdered sugar and a splash of milk or cream. Add vanilla extract.
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10
Pipe or spread the frosting on top. Decorate however you want—sprinkles, chocolate chips, whatever makes you happy.
Cooking Tips
- Don't overmix the batter. Once you add the flour, mix until just combined. Overmixing makes them tough.
- Fill the liners only two-thirds full. They'll rise as they bake, and you don't want them overflowing.
- Let them cool completely before frosting. Warm cupcakes will melt the frosting and make a mess.
- The buttercream should be at room temperature when you make it. Cold butter won't cream properly, and warm butter will be too soft.
Quick Summary
Mix batter, fill cupcake liners, bake until golden, then top with frosting for a simple but satisfying treat.
