Flag Cupcakes With Vanilla Buttercream Food

FLAG CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 18 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients except food color with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter between 2 bowls. Add red food color to 1 bowl to desired color of red; leave other bowl white.
• To make flag-striped cupcake, spread a spoonful of red batter and then a spoonful of white batter in paper baking cup; repeat, and then end by spreading red batter on top. Use up batter to make 18 cupcakes.
• Bake as directed on box for cupcakes; 2 to 3 minutes may need to be added to bake time. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• To make frosting, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, beat in 3 cups of the powdered sugar until sugar is incorporated with butter. With mixer on medium speed, add salt, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the milk; beat 3 minutes. If frosting needs more stiff consistency, beat in up to 1 cup powdered sugar. If frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Frost cupcakes with frosting. Garnish with strawberry fans and blueberries. Store covered in refrigerator.

VANILLA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and mix into the butter mixture along with the vanilla extract.
• Fold in the flour, adding a little milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until they are three quarters full.
• Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes. Then place on a wire rack.
• For the buttercream icing, beat the butter until soft. Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
• Add the remaining icing sugar with 1 tbsp milk, adding more milk if necessary, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add food colouring (optional) and mix well.
• Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag and add a nozzle of your choice. Pipe in a swirl motion and then enjoy!