Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes from Hummingbird Bakery

I will tell you all right from the start that these wonderfully fluffy cupcakes are definitely NOT SBD friendly! 

Now you all know that I don’t normally make things like this, but I had to make something so that I could try out my new toy!  For those of you who didn’t see my previous post, I received an early gift for my birthday (1 June) which was a KitchenAide Kenwood Stand Mixer complete with three bowl paddles (a K-beater, a whisk and a dough hook) and also as a free bonus, a multi-food grinder for making minced meat and sausages, etc.

Now, as a side note, on the 2nd of June, I will be setting up to sell my preserves and chutneys at a Family Fun Day to aid the SSAFA charity (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association) and as there will be many things for the kids, I wanted to also have available some baked goodies for the youngsters…things like brownies and cupcakes!

So I found the recipe for these cupcakes a few weeks back in the weekend section of the newspaper and it claimed that they were light and fluffy, just what I was looking for.  It seemed that the only way to get really fluffy cupcakes was from a box mix, but you will not find a box mix of cake mix in this house!  I’ve made cupcakes from scratch in the past and they always came out more muffin-like, but I refused to buy a box mix.  Back in the day I used to do that (dare I say, so did mom!) but no more.

I wanted to test these out first before I actually make them for the fair so what better excuse to also test out the new toy!

The recipe says it makes 12, but I only got nine and even then, I think they should have been a bit higher in the muffin cups then what they were.  (some of the comments on the website said they got 12 or even 15!)

It also calls for whole milk, but I used semi-skimmed and they came out fine.

 

 

 

~~HUMMINGBIRD BAKERY VANILLA CUPCAKES~~

• 120g/4¼oz plain flour
• 140g/5oz caster/superfine sugar
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 40g/1½oz unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used salted butter and left out the pinch of salt)
• 120ml/4fl oz whole milk
• 1 egg
• ¼tsp vanilla extract
• 1 quantity vanilla frosting (see recipe below)
• hundreds and thousands or other edible sprinkles, to decorate
• a 12-hole cupcake tray, lined with paper cases

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3.

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.

Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not over mix.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched.

A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

 

~~VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING~~

• 250g/90z icing sugar, sifted
• 80g/3oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 25ml/5 tsp whole milk
• a couple of drops of vanilla extract

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

Turn the mixer down to slow speed. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time. Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed.
Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the vanilla frosting on top and decorate with hundreds and thousands/sprinkles.

**********************

I brought four of them over to the kids across the street and I’ve eaten one.  I plan on getting a couple of them over to my mother-in-law so that I don’t eat them all!

Tomorrow is pizza night, so I’ll be trying out the new toy on the pizza dough!

 

 

 

Enjoy!

♥♥ Terri  ♥♥