Sarah's cupcakes and icing

Hey Megs,

The recipes are below.  The cupcake recipe really does make 30 cupcakes or about 90 mini cupcakes.  The icing recipes each made enough for me to ice about 24 cupcakes.  It really depends on how much icing you use though.  I used a piping bag and size 1M (I am pretty sure) tip from my friend to pipe it on and it was really easy and looked a lot better then when I just spread it on with a knife.  I used this site http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/05/how-to-frost-cupcakes/ to teach myself how to pipe it on. 

I had some extra from the icing and froze it in a Tupperware for about a month and then just thawed it out on the counter and used it for my birthday.  It was just as good even after being frozen, so if you have extra you could throw it in the freeze until the next party.  

I would not just moms big mixer as the bowl gets hot and melts the icing.

Sarah

Vanilla cupcakes:
http://www.marthastewart.com/353205/billys-vanilla-vanilla-cupcakes

Yield Makes about 30 cupcakes

Ingredients

• • 1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
  • 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (it is best if you have a vanilla bean and cut off one end then squeeze the juice/pulp out and use that)
    

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake,until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.  For regular cupcakes I use 1/4 cup of batter.  For mini cupcakes I use 1 T of batter, the small pampered chef cookie scoop is 1 T and works great.  I would bake those 8-10 mins.   

Vanilla Icing:

Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or ½ pound), softened (but not melted!) Ideal texture should be like ice cream.
• 3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (it is best if you have a vanilla bean and cut off one end then squeeze the juice/pulp out and use that)
• up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

1. Beat butter with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until fluffy.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Once everything is added beat again on medium speed until fluffy.

Chocolate Icing:

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or ½ pound), softened (but not melted!) Ideal texture should be like ice cream.
• 3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder SIFTED
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

1. Beat butter with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until fluffy. 
2. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa powder and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.
3. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 3 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.
4. Once everything is added beat again on medium speed until fluffy.

White Chocolate Raspberry Icing:

White Chocolate Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Author: MANDY – Baking with Blondie

Recipe type: dessert

Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 4 oz white chocolate chips
• ¼ C heavy cream
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (but not melted!) Ideal texture should be like ice cream.
• 3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
• 1 t pure vanilla
• ¼ t salt
• 3-4 T defrosted frozen raspberries

Instructions

1. Method:
2. In a medium saucepan, bring heavy cream to a gentle boil. Immediately pour over white chocolate in a separate bowl (don’t add chips to hot saucepan, the chocolate will overcook) Stir until smooth.
3. Beat butter with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until fluffy.  Add in powdered sugar until fully incorporated. It will take a while.
4. Turn mixer speed to low and pour in white chocolate cream mixture. Increase speed to medium and beat until smooth. Add in salt and vanilla.
5. Mixing on medium speed, beat in raspberry puree to desired consistency. Increase speed to fully incorporate. Add more powdered sugar or puree to desired consistency.
6. Once everything is added beat again on medium speed until fluffy.