Vanilla Berry Cupcakes

I have always loved Valentines day. Yes it may be commercial, and yes it may just be some money making scheme blah blah, but I adore that we have dedicated a day to expressing our love for one another.  

In our overly busy lives we can sometimes get caught up with the chaos and forget to stop, breath, and remind those very special people in our lives that it is because of them that we are who we are.

So, in the wise words of Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite "Build her a cake or something" and get romance tasting as good as it should!

Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes

Recipe by Glorious Treats

Yields- 15-16 cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups cake flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup buttermilk

Method

• Preheat oven to 180 C
• In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir together with whisk, and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs and beat 10-20 seconds.  Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed about 30 seconds.  Add vanilla and oil, beat.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture.  Add half of the milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk.  Beat until just combined.
• The batter will be thin.  Pour batter into a muffin pan prepared with paper liners.  Fill liners about 2/3 full.
• Bake cupcakes in pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes.
• Cool in pan 1-2 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan (carefully) and finish cooling on a wire rack.
• Once cool ice with your favourite icing – I used the vanilla cream cheese with berry.

I topped my cupcakes with fondant roses, sugar crystals and a little glitter.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
½ cup butter (set at room temp about 10 minutes, but should still be cool)
200g cream cheese (directly from fridge)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 – 5 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons good quality raspberry jam

Method

• Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until fully combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
• Add vanilla extract and icing sugar and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
• Add in the raspberry jam. Depending on your local weather you may need to add more icing sugar. Start with 4 cups, but as I stay in very humid Durban I usually have to use 5 cups of icing sugar as the butter and cream cheese get quite melty…
• If you like, add a few drops of pink food colouring to emphasize the look of the berry icing.  
• Beat until fluffy (about 1 minute). Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)