Jordyn's Birthday Cupcakes - Vanilla with Buttercream Frosting

Cupcake Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.  In a large stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla, then the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl to thoroughly combine all the ingredients together.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the cream mixture, along with the milk, and mix until a smooth batter is formed.  Use a large ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly into the cupcake liners. Bake for 14-18 minutes until golden brown and the cupcakes spring back to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing and decorating.

Frosting Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
dash salt
food coloring gel

1/4 milk (add half, then add more as needed)

In a small mixing bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until combined.  Add the vanilla extract, salt, food coloring, and half of the milk.  Beat slightly and decide how much more milk you will need to make frosting the right thickness.  It needs to be fairly thick if piping, and not as thick when using a cake spatula to spread.  Go ahead and add milk as needed.  Beat at high speed until it forms a nice fluffy frosting, about 3-4 minutes.  Pipe or spread icing on cupcakes and decorate as you like.  We always have sprinkles and jimmys in our pantry.  Enjoy!