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Vanilla Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C)
and lightly butter or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
For the Cupcakes: Cream the butter and sugar
until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after
each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
In a
separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
With the mixer on low speed, alternately add
the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the
flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Evenly fill the
muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until nicely
browned and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove
from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have
completely cooled, frost with icing. If you want flat topped cupcakes then
slice off the dome of each cupcake, with a sharp knife, before frosting. If
you want to pipe the frosting, I like to use a large Wilton 1M closed star
decorating tip.
For the Frosting:
In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream
the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the
mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and
beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add
a little more milk or sugar, if needed. Tint the
frosting with desired food color (I use the paste food coloring that is
available at cake decorating stores and party stores).
Makes about 12 cupcakes
Source:
Hay, Donna.
Modern Classics Book 2. Harper Collins Publishers Inc. New York: 2003.
Patent, Greg.
Baking in America. Houghton Mifflin Company. New York: 2002.
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