Cupcake Mania

Are these not just the cutest cupcake liners ever?! I found them at Walmart of all places.

Abby can be a cupcake monster. She rules the cupcake flavor combinations in our home. So when she requested another batch of chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting I swear I could hear Haillie grumble. She is not a fan of chocolate. So I decided to make six chocolate cupcakes and six vanilla cupcakes.

For Haillie I made a light and fluffy vanilla cupcake with buttercream frosting swirled with a blueberry sauce. The buttercream frosting didn’t care for my humid house but still received an “OMG! Mom these are fabulous!” And for Abby a moist chocolate cupcake with a buttercream filling and peanut butter frosting. She thinks I’m the bestest. Smile. These recipes make more than you need for six cupcakes per. I refrigerated all the extra batter and frosting to use later.

Vanilla Cupcakes w/Buttercream Frosting & Blueberry Swirl
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/3 cups cake flour, sifted
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325⁰F. Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract, and beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt three times. Add to egg mixture in three additions, alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Frost with your favorite frosting when cool.
Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
Directions
In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Add milk until frosting reaches desired consistency.
Blueberry Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Directions
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, 1/2 cup water and sugar. Stir gently, and bring to a boil. In a cup or small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water. Gently stir the cornstarch mixture into the blueberries so as not to mash the berries. Simmer gently until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the almond extract and cinnamon. Thin sauce with water if it is too thick for your liking.
Chocolate Cupcakes w/Buttercream Filling & Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
1-1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter, softened
1-1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F. Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Fill and frost with your favorite frosting when cool.
Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
Directions
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Add milk until frosting reaches desired consistency.