Quick and easy vanilla cupcakes

Sometimes you just want comfort food and you don't want to make a huge fuss, or you just don't have the time. Its been a busy few weeks and I have been up and down the country going to weddings(!), then it was Easter and yet I haven't done much baking. Shameful! But, to be honest, I have been trying to sort of be good; my jeans just don't fit like they used to and I need to start getting fit for the 10km run I've volunteered myself for in the summer...

But the fact that this awful English weather is hanging about just makes me want to stay indoors and avoid the outside world. Seriously, getting caught in heavy downpours aint fun. I couldn't go for a run so instead made my all time favourite vanilla cupcakes and played with some purple colouring.  This pleases me. I hate being in the kitchen cooking but get me some flour and sugar and eggs and I'm in there pronto! Surely I can't be the only one....

Ingredients for cupcakes:-

115g butter
130g castor sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
195g all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
60ml whole milk

Method:-

Preheat the oven to 180C or gas mark 4. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.

Using an electric beater or whisk, beat the butter and sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy and the sugar and butter pale in colour. This will take you about 4 minutes or so. Add the eggs, one at a time beating quite thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla essence.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt and add half of this to the egg mixture. Beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pour in half the milk. Beat again until combined and repeat the flour and milk process until finished, alternating between the two.

Immediately, fill the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 mins.

For the icing:-

250g icing sugar
125g butter
2 tblsp whole milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
food glitter and colouring

Method:-

With your hand mixer or food processor, cream butter and icing sugar and vanilla essence until smooth. Add the milk 1tblsp at a time. If mixture still feels too stiff add some more milk. If you want to pipe the frosting, I usually use the largest star one, this gives a lovely swirl effect. Decorate with glitter as desired....or whatever else you fancy.

I'm interested to know what others use for quick and easy cupcakes, or what your favourite flavour is. Do take a moment to let me know... ;-)