Easy Cupcake Recipes

Easy Cupcake Recipes

Cupcakes or fairy cakes, as they were called, are one of the most delightful and pretty desserts. Cupcakes cook faster than a whole cake and you avoid the hassle of cutting the cake in slices. Aside from the creamy topping, you can even add a filling to cupcakes.

Let’s start with the basic recipes for cupcakes that are very versatile.

Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 large lemon
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 177 degrees C.
2. In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
6. Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 17-20 minutes or just until set and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
7. 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. You can pipe the frosting. They can be covered and stored for a few days.
8. You can use the basic butter cream, fresh cream or ganache as the topping,
9. You can also sprinkle nuts, chocolate chips, grated chocolate and more.
10. Frost the cupcakes after they have cooled and just before serving.

Chocolate Cupcakes
 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (50 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 cup (240 ml) boiling hot water
• 1 1/3 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

• 120 grams unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped, or chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups confectioners’ or icing sugar, sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or essence

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Lightly butter, or line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, stir the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder until smooth. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth.  Beat in the vanilla extract.
6. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.
7. Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16-20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
8. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. You can either spread the frosting on the cupcakes with a small spatula or piping bag with a nozzle of your choice.

Chocolate Frosting:

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 15 seconds at a time till the shape of the chocolate collapses when you touch it. Let cool to room temperature.
2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until it is light. Beat in the vanilla extract.
3. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth.

Makes about 16 cupcakes.

Using these recipes, you can add Oreos, roasted nuts, chocolate chips, praline and so on. You can add caramel, chocolate ganache and more to fill the center of the cupcakes.