If you can bake one good vanilla cupcake, you can bake a hundred different ones. Change the icing, change the sprinkles, add a little colour, and the same simple recipe works for a tea table, a lunch box or a plate for the neighbours.
This is the one we come back to in the Modaks kitchen. It makes 12, it uses ingredients most people already have, and it does not need a mixer.
What you need
For the cupcakes
- 125g soft butter
- 3/4 cup (150g) castor sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 1/2 cups (190g) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
- 12 paper muffin cups
For the buttercream
- 100g soft butter
- 2 cups (250g) icing sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
- A few drops of powder food colouring, if you want colour
- rainbow vermicelli or 100s and 1000s for the top
How to make them
1. Heat the oven and line the tin
Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Put the paper cups into a 12-hole muffin tin.
2. Cream the butter and sugar
Beat the butter and castor sugar together with a wooden spoon or a whisk until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
3. Fold in the dry ingredients
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add half to the bowl with half of the milk, fold gently, then add the rest. Stop as soon as there are no dry streaks left. Overmixing makes cupcakes tough.
4. Bake
Spoon the batter into the cups until they are two thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack before icing.
5. Make the buttercream
Beat the butter until soft and pale. Add the icing sugar a little at a time, then the vanilla and enough milk to make it spreadable. Beat for 2 minutes until fluffy. Stir in a few drops of colour if you like, then spread or pipe onto the cooled cupcakes and finish with sprinkles.
Tips for better cupcakes
- Use room-temperature butter and eggs. They mix smoothly and the cupcakes rise evenly.
- Sift the icing sugar. It is the easiest way to avoid lumps in the buttercream.
- Add colour a drop at a time. A little goes a long way, and you can always add more.
- Never ice a warm cupcake. The buttercream melts and slides off.
- Fill the cups two thirds full. More than that and they spill over the sides.
Questions we get asked
Why did my cupcakes sink in the middle?
Usually the oven door was opened too early, or the batter was overmixed. Keep the door closed for the first 15 minutes and mix only until combined.
How long do they keep?
Un-iced cupcakes keep for 2 days in an airtight tin. Iced cupcakes are best the same day, and will keep for a day in a cool place.
Can I make them ahead?
Yes. Bake them the day before and ice on the day. Un-iced cupcakes also freeze well for up to a month.
How do I make chocolate cupcakes from this recipe?
Replace 3 tablespoons of the flour with cocoa powder and sift it in with the other dry ingredients.
Everything in one order
The sugars, essence, colouring, cups and sprinkles are all in the full Modaks range.
Not sure how much to order for a big batch? Call us on 011 857 1534 or reply to any of our emails and we will gladly work it out with you.
Happy baking.
The Modaks Kitchen