Essential Recipes

Very Vanilla Cupcakes

This recipe is always delicious. The cake stays moist for days and the vanilla just gets stronger. You can use any size cup cake papers that you want, just leave a 2cm space at the top so they won't overflow as they bake.

The icing is not too buttery, and just sweet enough. Spread with a warm knife to get a smooth finish.

Vanilla Cupcakes

• 150g very soft butter
• 150g caster sugar
• 175g self raising flour
• 3 eggs
• ½ vanilla bean, scraped of seeds

1. Start by preheating the oven to 170°C.
2. Place the cupcake papers into a muffin or cupcake tray.
3. Put all of the cake ingredients into a mixer and beat till light and well combined.
4. Spoon the mixture into cake cases and bake for 20-25 minutes. They will be firm when touched lightly.
5. They will be lighter and moister if not overcooked. Decorate with vanilla icing.

Vanilla Icing

• 120g very soft butter
• 250g pure icing sugar
• zest of ½ a lemon
• ½ vanilla bean, scraped of seeds

1. Beat the ingredients together till they are light and fluffy.
2. Spread onto cooled cupcakes and decorate.