Vanilla cupcakes with lemon buttercream

holy deliciousness!

these are BY FAR the most fluffy cupcakes i've eaten to date! and so easy to make (even I didn't mess up this time!)

Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream! I adapted the vanilla buttercream recipe for a lemon flavor!

Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour*
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 sticks butter (softened)
• 2 cups suger
• 4 eggs (at room temp)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl combine the flours and set aside.

In a large bowl use an electric mixer to cream the butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes.

Adapted to be Lemon instead of Vanilla: Lemon “Buttercream”:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 box of confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
  

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and then the milk and extracts. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes until the icing is thick enough to be piped. After frosting these cupcakes I sprinkled some clear sugar crystals on top of each.

*I am told self-rising flour can be purchased, however, when I did not see it at my local grocery store I went ahead and made it myself without much trouble. The standard rule is for every one cup of self-rising flour your recipe calls for add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of all purpose flour and sift.

optional:
Yellow food dye for the icing
colorful sprinkles! - in my eyes, not optional. essential.


both pb&j cupcakes and vanilla cupcakes! mmmmm!!