Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes and a Vanilla Buttercream

Today I will be telling you how to bake gluten free vanilla cupcakes and a vanilla buttercream. I will also be telling you how to make one other cupcake. My chocolate cupcakes and chocolate frosting. You may be wondering why I only have cupcake recipes on this blog. Well, I'm a cupcake baker! My favorite (and only) thing to make is cupcakes or any sweets. Here's my vanilla cupcake and vanilla buttercream.

Vanilla Cupcake

Ingredients:

·         1 1/2 cups of c4c flour

·         3/4 cup sugar

·         6 tablespoons soft butter

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

·         1 spoonful of gluten-free vanilla extract

·         2 large eggs

·         1/2 cup milk, at room temperature

Instructions:
·         1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put cupcake liners in the pan.

·         2) Use an electric mixer to beat together the sugar, soft butter, salt, baking powder, flour and vanilla until smooth. Add 1 egg, and beat for a minute or so at high speed, until fluffy.

·         3) Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Still using the mixer beat in the other egg; the mixture should become quite fluffy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl again.

·         4) Continuing to use the mixer, beat in the milk, at low speed, adding about 1/3 of each at a time.

·         5) Scoop the batter into the prepared pan/s. Bake the cupcakes for about 25 minutes, about 3 to 4 minutes past the point where the cupcake springs back when touched lightly in the center, and a tooth pick, inserted into the middle comes out clean.

·         6) Remove from the oven, and cool for 5 to 10 minutes before taking out of the pan to cool on a rack.

Note: You DON’T need to use an electric mixer.

Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!) Ideal texture should be like ice cream.
• 3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

1. Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.

Hope you enjoy,

-Caitlin