Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing | Recipe

This recipe makes the moistest and softest cupcakes ever! They are so buttery and fluffy and matches this buttercream icing very well. These are great for any celebrations or just to eat on their own. You have to try this recipe and you will never turn back to using those box cake mixes again!

Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe                                                                                                  Recipe by iSaamuel 
INGREDIENTS;
2 eggs,
120ml of milk,
100g of all purpose flour,
1 teaspoon of baking powder,
115g of unsalted butter,
100g of sugar

Vanilla Buttercream Icing
75g of unsalted butter,
165g of powdered sugar,
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Tip: Like with all recipes, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature so that they combine well. (e.g the eggs won't separate with the butter and the batter won't split.)

METHOD;
1. Whisk eggs and milk together until well homogenised. Set aside.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder into another bowl. Whisk and set aside.
3. In a separate large bowl, add in the butter and sugar. Beat for 8-10 minutes until pale and fluffy. While doing so, start off on low speed and gradually increase to a high speed.
4. Add in 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix briefly. While mixing, add in 1/2 of the wet ingredients. Let this mix until well combined.
5. Add in the second third of the dry ingredients, followed by the rest of the wet ingredients. Mix well before adding the rest of the dry ingredients and beating the mixture until completely smooth.

Tip: This is called the Alternating Creaming method and consists of alternating adding the dry and wet ingredients. (Starting off with adding the flour and ending with the flour.) By doing this, everything has an even chance of incorporating and the heavy ingredients (butter) gets introduced to the lighter ingredients (flour, milk)- think of it like lightening up a heavy mixture with egg whites or cream. The result gives a very fluffy and airy product.

6. Divide the mixture with an ice cream scoop between 6-8 cupcake cases. Each cupcake case should be filled about 3/4 way full, allowing room for the cupcakes to rise.
7. Bake at 180c for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of each cupcake comes out clean. They should appear nice and golden brown.

 8. Once baked, let these cupcakes cool completely before decorating.

Vanilla Buttercream
1. Beat butter and gradually add in the powdered sugar. Add in the vanilla once combined.
2. Whisk this mixture on high speed for 5-7 minutes until the mixture adopts a pale yellow colour and it appears smooth.


Assembly
1. Pipe out the icing onto each cupcake. I like to use a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1M star tip/nozzle for a professional look.
2. Decorate with your favorite sprinkles or even chocolate chips.
Enjoy.

Birthday Vanilla Cupcakes | Recipe

These cupcakes are absolutely perfect for any birthday party. They may look normal on the outside, but inside, they are filled with a creamy, vanilla custard waiting to be oozed out and suprised by anyone. Topped off with whipped cream, feel free to decorate them your way!

Birthday Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe                                                                       Recipe by iSaamuel

INGREDIENTS;
45g of Bread Flour,
3 Egg Yolks,
2 Teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract,
3 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil,
2 Tablespoons of Milk,
45g of Sugar,
The seeds from 1 Vanilla Bean/Pod,

3 Egg Whites,
1 Teaspoon of Cream of Tartar,

- Custard*
 3 Egg Yolks,
 The seeds from 1 Vanilla Bean/Pod,
 1 Tbsp of Vanilla Extract,
 1/2 Cup of Sugar,
 1 Tbsp of Cornstarch,
 3 Cups of Fresh Milk

- Whipped Cream**
  3/4 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream,
  2 Tablespoons of Sugar

Vanilla Cupcakes
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Bread Flour, Egg Yolks, Vanilla Extract, Oil, Milk and Sugar until pale, thick and creamy.
2. Add in the seeds from the Vanilla Pod and whisk well until the seeds are evenly visible and distributed through the batter.
3. In another large bowl, whisk Egg Whites and Cream of Tartar until stiff peaks are formed and Egg Whites are glossy. When the bowl is tipped, the Egg Whites should not fall out or move. If it moves, whisk longer until it does not move at all.
4. Fold the Egg Whites, with a rubber spatula, into the Egg Yolk batter, gently and gradually., until a complete batter is formed. Be gentle and don't whisk vigorously otherwise you will lose the air beaten for the Egg Whites, resulting in an unfavorable texture (chewy).
5. Divide batter equally into a lined cupcake pan. Bake at 180C for 15-25 minutes or until a toothpick or a skewer is clean when inserted into the centre of a cupcake.
6. Let the cupcakes cool before decorating.

Custard*
1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl for 5-8 minutes until the mixture is pale and thick.
2. Heat up the milk in a large saucepan on medium-high heat, along with, vanilla beans, and the used vanilla pod, until it just comes to a boil. Take 3 tablespoons of the milk and mix with the constarch to create a slurry. 
3. Remove the vanilla pod. Pour the hot milk over the egg yolks while whisking constantly. When completely mixed in, return to the pan. Pour in your cornstarch slurry.
4. Stir over a low heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This will take about 5-6 minutes.
5. Once completed, sieve the custard with a strainer into a large bowl in case of any cooked or curdled eggs.
6. Stir in your vanilla extract well. It's now done!

Whipped Cream**
1. Whip the cream with the sugar until soft peaks form. Don't over mix or it could turn into butter and seperate. You could also add vanilla extract!

Decorating the Cupcakes
1. Place the Custard and Cream into two seperate piping bags fitted with star piping tips.
2. Poke a hole into the center of each cupcakes and slowly pipe in the custard until the cupcake feels 'full'. Scrape of and remove any excess custard on top.
3. Pipe the Whipped Cream on the cupcakes. Decorate with colorful edible sprinkles, Oreos, or even fruits. It's up to you. Be as creative as you like- enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Muffins Recipe

A moist chocolate muffin sceneted with banana for an extra boost of sweetness. A 'on-the-go' breakfast or snack! Give this a recipe a try!

Chocolate Banana Muffin Recipe                                                                         Recipe by iSaamuel

INGREDIENTS;
2 Ripe Bananas,
1 Cup of All-Purpose Flour,
1/2 Cup of Cocoa Powder,
1/2 Cup and 2 Tablespoons of Sugar,
1/2 Tsp of Baking Powder,
1/2 Tsp of Baking Soda,
1/2 Cup of Vegetable Oil,
3/4 Cup of Fresh Milk,
1 Tsp of Vanilla Extract,
1/4 Cup of Melted Milk Chocolate,

- Powdered Sugar and Fruits to garnish (optional).

1.  In a shallow plate, mash together the 2 ripe bananas and then set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the All-Purpose Flour, Cocoa Powder, Sugar, Baking Soda, Baking Powder until everything is fully combined thoroughly.
3. To the dry ingredients, add the mashed bananas, the Egg, Vegetable Oil, Milk, Vanilla Extract and Melted Milk Chocolate.
4. Whisk gently until a batter is formed. DO NOT OVERMIX or you'll have bread-like, chewy muffins.
5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to see if there are any more lumps.
6. Distribute muffin batter evenly into a lined cupcake/muffin pan. Bake at 180C for 15-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean from the center of a muffin.
Dust with powdered sugar!

You could also add Chocolate Chips in the batter for more indulgent muffins. Enjoy.

Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe

.

It seems that nowadays cupcakes are the next big thing, but I find that the ones from many bakeries are too sweet... The icing is packed full of powdered sugar, not to mention that the actual cake itself is loaded with a ton of butter and sugar, as if it wasn't sweet enough. Many cupcakes now come in endless varieties of flavors which then has a load of artificial flavor and coloring added- yuck!
I have come up with a recipe, that is much healthier and delicious, as I have cut down on the butter and sugar, and I also find that it has a softer texture than most cupcake recipes out there! I hope you enjoy me recipe!

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe                                                                                         Recipe by iSaamuel

INGREDIENTS;
2 Eggs,
1/2 Cup of Sugar,
1 Tbsp of Pure Vanilla Extract,
2 Tbsps of Melted Butter,
1/2 Cup of Fresh Milk,
1/2 Cup of Cake Flour.

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Eggs and the Sugar until the mixture doubles in volume and becomes thick and creamy. This step takes about 5-10 minutes to reach its maximum volume and texture!
2. Gradually sift in your Cake Flour and whisk gently to incorporate everything. Do not overmix otherwise you'll have tough bread-like cupcakes!
3. In another bowl, whisk Melted Butter along with Milk and Vanilla Extract and pour this mixture into your cake batter.
4. Stir gently until everything's combined but don't mix for too long as the cake batter will develop gluten! The cake batter should be at a nice and creamy consistency!
5. Line your Cupcake Pan with Cupcake liners and scoop the batter with an Ice-Cream scoop or with two spoons, and divide the mixture equally between the liners.
6. Bake at 180c for about 15-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a cupcake.

Enjoy and serve with your favorite icing or a dollop of whipped cream! :)