recipe | vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting

Every birthday boy deserves a party, even if he doesn’t actually know what the heck is going on. Last Saturday, we celebrated Sam’s 1st birthday (as well as the fact that we’ve survived a whole year ourselves) with beautiful sunshine, friends and family, and lots and lots of deliciousness.

One of Sam’s favourite things (inevitable really, being a child of Sydney’s inner west – you either love it, or you hate your life because you just can’t avoid it) right now are planes. Not that he knows them as ‘planes’ per se, but mention the words fei ji or lentokone and he’ll look outside, searching for the big flying thing and he’ll watch them until they are but a mere speck in the sky, certainly far too small for my aging eyes to see.

And so, the theme for his party was planes!

The pièce de résistance was the amazing birthday cake made by my friend Janice. How friggin’ awesome is this:

A billion times awesome. (If you want her to make a cake for you too, let me know!)

I also made some vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting, a Hummingbird Bakery recipe. The frosting was food-coloured to within an inch of its life (because THEME COLOURS) so I’ll take the blame if anyone’s kid actually made red or blue poos the next day.

My friend Mel made delicious banana cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting, and Zera made her specialty crack brownies (no crack really, just crazy addictive). Of course, I also made my rocky road which is a party staple these days.

Sam had a taste of his cake. He approved.

We also had a ridiculous amount of savoury food catered from the venue, the Golden Barley Hotel. Their outdoor garden area is spacious and perfect for toddlers and babies to run (or crawl) around and the service was impeccable. Anything we needed was done with a smile, and the staff went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time. They also provided a bunch of takeaway containers because you know, me: over-caterer extraordinaire.

Vanilla cupcakes (recipe from Hummingbird Bakery)
Vanilla cupcakes 240g plain flour 280g castor sugar 3tsp baking power a pinch of salt 80g unsalted butter at room temp 240ml whole milk 2 eggs 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Vanilla frosting 250g icing sugar sifted 80g unsalted butter at room temp 25ml whole milk a couple of drops of vanilla extract food colouring if required
Preheat oven to 170°C/325°F. In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter and beat on low speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually poor in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated. Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated. Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix. Spoon mixture into paper cases until 2/3 full and bake in pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden on top. A skewer inserted should come out clean. Once baked, leave cupcakes to cool slightly in tray before moving to a rack to cool completely. Only start frosting once the cupcakes are completely cool. FROSTING: Beat icing sugar and butter together on medium-low speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn mixer down to low speed. Combine milk and vanilla extract in a bowl and add to butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time. Once all the milk has been added, turn mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until frosting is light and fluffy (at least 5 minutes). The longer you beat, the fluffier and lighter it becomes. If colouring, add a few drops of food colour. Once ready, scoop into piping bag and pipe away!
Makes 18 cupcakes

Vanilla cupcakes (recipe from Hummingbird Bakery)

Vanilla cupcakes
240g plain flour
280g castor sugar
3tsp baking power
a pinch of salt
80g unsalted butter at room temp
240ml whole milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla frosting
250g icing sugar sifted
80g unsalted butter at room temp
25ml whole milk
a couple of drops of vanilla extract
food colouring if required

Preheat oven to 170°C/325°F.
In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter and beat on low speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually poor in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.
Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated.
Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.
Spoon mixture into paper cases until 2/3 full and bake in pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden on top. A skewer inserted should come out clean.
Once baked, leave cupcakes to cool slightly in tray before moving to a rack to cool completely. Only start frosting once the cupcakes are completely cool.
FROSTING: Beat icing sugar and butter together on medium-low speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn mixer down to low speed.
Combine milk and vanilla extract in a bowl and add to butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time. Once all the milk has been added, turn mixer up to high speed.
Continue beating until frosting is light and fluffy (at least 5 minutes). The longer you beat, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.
If colouring, add a few drops of food colour. Once ready, scoop into piping bag and pipe away!

Makes 18 cupcakes

recipe | vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting

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