Light And Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes And Buttercream Icing Food

VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners.
• In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a large mixing bowl whisk the sugar and melted butter until smooth (mixture will be gritty). Whisk in eggs, then sour cream, milk and vanilla extract until combined.
• Slowly add in dry ingredients and stir until completely incorporated. Batter will be thick.
• Fill cupcake lines ⅔ of the way full (about ¼ cup of batter). Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool completely before frosting.
• Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer), beat butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy; 2-3 minutes.
• Add confectioners sugar, vanilla and milk. Turn mixer up to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. If mixture is too thick, add more milk, a teaspoon at a time. If too thin, add more confectioners sugar, a little at a time.
• Frost cooled cupcakes using a spreader or a piping bag. Depending on how much frosting you use on each cupcake, there may be some leftover.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency.
• Almond Buttercream Frosting : Substitute 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon almond extract for the vanilla.
• Chocolate Buttercream Frosting : Reduce confectioners' sugar to 4 cups and add 1/2 cup baking cocoa; increase milk to 6-7 tablespoons.
• Lemon Buttercream Frosting : Substitute 5-6 tablespoons lemon juice for the milk; add 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel.
• Orange Buttercream Frosting : Substitute 5-6 tablespoons orange juice for the milk; add 1 teaspoon grated orange peel.
• Peanut Butter Frosting : Substitute peanut butter for the butter; increase milk to 6-8 tablespoons.
• Peppermint Buttercream Frosting : Substitute 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract for the vanilla.

FLUFFY VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium. Add the confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed, about 5 minutes total. After every 2 additions, raise speed to high, and beat 10 seconds to aerate the frosting. Add vanilla, and beat until buttercream is smooth.