The Picky Apple Begins! Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

After many weeks of exploring cooking, baking, and foodie blogs, I’ve decided to create my own blog to chronicle all of my cooking and baking experiments. I usually try 3 or 4 new recipes for dinner and bake at least one dessert a week. My husband, who is actually THE Picky Apple, is usually a good sport with all of my experiments.

After reading blog after blog about cupcakes, last night I made cupcakes from scratch for the first time ever. I decided to go with something basic for my first try, so I made Magnolia Bakery’s Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting. My cupcakes were a little too dense, but still fairly tasty. It took me a while to get the frosting thick enough to frost the cupcakes and hold shape. Additionally, I think I would prefer chocolate or some other flavor frosting, as the vanilla cake with vanilla frosting is a little too plain for me. I’m still practicing my food photography (and photography in general)…

Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcakes

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes (depending on the size of your cupcake papers and muffin tins)

• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
5. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. At the bakery we ice the cupcakes with either Vanilla Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream.

Adapted from More From Magnolia, by Allysa Torey.

Picky Apple Note: I only got 14 cupcakes out of this recipe.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Makes enough for 2 dozen cupcakes.

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Picky Apple Note: I needed to add nearly 10 cups of confectioners’ sugar to get the frosting thick enough to pipe onto the cupcakes and hold its shape.

Adapted from More From Magnolia, by Allysa Torey