magnolia cupcakes...from home

I don't bake. Really. It's way too precise for me and I don't really have the patience for it. I'm not saying anything against baking, it's just not for me. Of course, I love the results. Who doesn't ? Pastries, cakes, pies...they're all very hard to say no too. Personally, I find it much easier to say yes if I'm enjoying the fruits of someone else's labor and not my own.

But alas, July 17th rolls around and I must break out my sifter, measuring cups, and begin softening butter. You see, July 17th is my girlfriend's birthday. I don't know how, but it's become tradition to bake her cupcakes and bring them to whatever bar/restaraunt we happen to be gathering at with friends. Living in NYC, it would be far easier to go to Magnolia Bakery or Billy's and buy two dozen...but where's the love in that. That being said, the recipe I use comes straight from Magnolia Bakery and is an outstanding vanilla cupcake, which year after year, brings rave reviews from friends and girlfriend alike. Here it is !

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 (1/2 cup-12 capacity) muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. 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 but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Icing:

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

These cupcakes are truly oustanding. They stay moist and fluffy and never disappoint. Not being much of a baker, I don't have a stand mixer but find a regular hand mixer to work fine. For decorating, I seperate the icing into as many batches as I want colors, mix with some food coloring and then ice the cakes. I then take the remainder of each color and put in it's own Ziploc bag, cut off a SMALL corner, and voila...a homemade piping bag. No need for fancy tips necessarily. I know it's a popular thing to say...if I can do it, you can do it...but seriously, I'm not one for the baking arts. This recipe is about as easy as it gets and yields such fabulous results, that July 17th is a joyful day out with friends and at home in the kitchen.

Mangia e statti zitto...

cheers...

dunkin