Sweet Simplicity

There are a few things that are better than a sweet and easy-to-make cupcake. I especially love recipes that call for ingredients that I already have in the pantry. I've had a box of cake flour in the cabinets for a couple of months now, so every time I see a recipe that calls for cake flour I mark it. I had been meaning to make this particular cupcake recipe from Elinor Klivans book since I got the book. The cupcake recipe did not disappoint. It was fluffy and sweet and similar tasting to a basic vanilla cupcake. I wasn't a big fan of the frosting because it was too thick but the cupcake sure did look pretty.

Butter Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Source: Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans

1 1/4 cup cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
Chocolate buttercream (here)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is blended. Add the vanilla and beat for 2 more minutes. On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing just until the flour is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.

Fill each paper liner with 1/4 cup of batter, to about 1/2 inch below the top of the liner. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove the cupcakes and place on a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

Frost and enjoy!