CUPCAKE - BASIC RECIPE with...

Good morning! Anyone got a great basic cupcake recipe with three-four basic (simple) variations, please?? Many taaaa...s. devalois

This one is easy-

125g butter
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup milk

Icing

Preheat oven to 180°C.

beat butter for 2 minutes until pale and creamy. Add sugar one third at a time, beating well between each ingred added.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating mixture each time Add the vanilla essence and beat until combined.

Sift flour and baking powder and add half to butter mixture with half the milk, mix until well combined. Repeat with remaining flour and milk.

Fill cupcake papers ¾ full
Bake muffin size cupcakes for 20-25 minutes and small cupcakes for about 15 minutes

Ice with what ever you choose, I make bright coloured icing and with coloured icing pens, make flowers and patterns etc

Basic Chocolate Cup Cake Recipe
Ingredients
5 oz (150g) Butter – softened, 5 oz (150g) castor sugar, 6 oz (175g) self-raising flour, 3 eggs, 2 tbls cocoa powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract. Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to 350oF (180oC). Line a 12 cup cake pan, with cup cake papers. Crack the eggs into a cup and beat lightly with a fork. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and creamy. Divide the mixture evenly between the cake cases. Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and firm to touch.
8. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool fully before icing.
Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting
Ingredients
5 oz (150g) Butter – softened, 8 oz (250g) icing sugar, 2 tbls cocoa powder
2 tsp very hot water. Method Beat together the butter and sugar Once well combined, add the combined cocoa powder and water. Beat until smooth and creamy

Cup cake Variations
Basic Cup cake
150g Self Raising Flour,
110g Butter
110g Caster Sugar
2 Medium Eggs, beaten,
2 tbsp Milk,
Vanilla Essence, few drops
Pre-heat oven to 190°C; 375°F:
Cream the butter and sugar until soft and light.
Add the vanilla essence and eggs a little at a time.
Sift the flour and gently fold into the mixture. Add the milk and mix well.
Place 18 paper baking cases into trays.
Spoon in the mixture, filling about two-thirds of the cases.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 15-18 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Variations
Fruit: Add 50g (2oz) sultanas to the batter - leave the top plain.
Chocolate: Add 1 level tablespoon of cocoa powder, to the creamed butter and sugar, top with chocolate icing.
Strawberry, add some homemade strawberry jam and a little less sugar to the mix
Peppermint, Add 1/2 tsp Peppermint Extract to icing Drizzle with crushed Peppermint Candies
Surprise Cupcakes Cut the top off of each cup cake with a sharp knife and fill the hole with a spoonful of raspberry jam. Replace the top of the cupcake and sprinkle with icing sugar .
Raspberry Cream Cupcakes Remove the muffin papers from the cupcakes and cut the tops off of each cupcake. Spoon the raspberry whipped cream atop the cupcake bottoms. Place the cupcake tops on the cupcakes. Dust with more powdered sugar and serve with the remaining berries. Raspberry whipped cream using a fork, coarsely mash 1 cup of raspberries in a medium bowl. Beat the cream and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Fold the mashed raspberries into the whipped cream.
Cho/mint Put a teaspoon of the mixture into each case, then a chocolate/mint then top with another half teaspoon or so of the mixture (however much it takes to use up all the mixture). Once the cupcakes are cool, spread a thick layer of the mint icing over each( mix up the butter and icing sugar until smooth, stir in the peppermint extract and colouring.)
Place a whole marshmallow on the top of each cup cake. Cook on High for 30 seconds or until the marshmallow begins to melt. Remove from the oven immediately.
Mix simple decorations with more elegant ones. Colorful sprinkles aren't lowbrow beside sifted cocoa.
Have fun with lighthearted toppings. Some of our favorites are chocolate jimmies, jelly beans, miniature M&Ms, miniature chocolate chips, peanuts, and chopped toffee, malted milk balls, or dark chocolate.
Try artistic touches. Thin shreds of lemon or orange peel, candied lemon or orange peel, toasted coconut, candied ginger, and sugared rose petals are pretty flourishes. If using rose petals, lightly coat fresh, unsprayed ones with pasteurized egg whites, then sugar; let them dry before using.

Butter Cream Frosting:
Beat 1/2 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add 4 cups sifted icing sugar alternately with 1/4 cup milk beating well after each addition. Beat in additional milk, if necessary, to make of spreading consistency.

six different toppings
Prepare Butter Cream Frostingas above , divide into 6 equal portions. Frost 4 cupcakes with first portion; sprinkle with multicolored nonpareils. To second portion of frosting, stir in lemon juice, lemon peel, and yellow food coloring, adding a little additional powdered sugar, if necessary. Frost 4 cupcakes; sprinkle with coconut. Dissolve coffee crystals in hot water; add to third portion of frosting. Frost 4 cupcakes; top with chocolate sprinkles. To fourth portion of frosting, stir in cocoa powder, adding a little additional milk, if necessary. Frost 4 cupcakes; sprinkle with colored chocolate sprinkles. To fifth portion of frosting, stir in maple flavoring. Frost 4 cupcakes; sprinkle with walnuts. To the last portion, stir in raspberry flavoring or peppermint extract and red food coloring. Frost remaining 4 cupcakes. Sprinkle with multicolored coarse sugar. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Lemon or Orange Glacé Icing with Cherries
100g / 4 oz icing sugar , 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice , 12 glacé cherries, cut in half . Mix the juice into the icing sugar and stir until well blended. Drizzle over the cakes when cooled. Top with the cherries, cut side down, while the icing is still soft.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze 150g / 5 1/2 oz good quality dark chocolate, 150ml / 5 fl oz double cream . Break the chocolate into pieces and heat gently with the cream in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture well blended. Allow to cool slightly to thicken then pour over the cakes. It will harden on cooling.

Jam Glaze with Sprinkles 8 tbsp apricot or seedless raspberry jam , sprinkles such as silver balls or 'hundreds and thousands' Heat the jam gently with a tablespoonful of water in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Brush on to the cakes and drizzle over your desired topping while the jam is still warm.

Coconut Cream Icing 75g cream cheese, softened , 75g butter, softened , 200g icing sugar, sifted , 1/2 tspn vanilla extract, 3 tbsp shredded coconut, extra shredded coconut, toasted, to decorate (optional) Whisk together the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the shredded coconut. To make toasted coconut, spread a couple of tablespoonfuls on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 190C/375F for a few minutes until it turns a golden colour. Sprinkle over the iced cakes.

Coffee Buttercream Icing 2 tsp of instant coffee, 1 tbsp very hot water , 125g unsalted butter, softened 200g icing sugar, sifted , whole coffee beans, plain or chocolate covered, to decorate. Dissolve the instant coffee in the water and cool. Whisk together the butter and icing sugar until smooth, then whisk in the coffee. Ice the cakes and place a coffee bean on top.

Nutella Frosted Cupcakes
140 grams butter, softened,3/4 cup white sugar, 3 eggs, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 3/4 cups sifted flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tsp baking powder, Nutella, approx. 1/3 cup. Preheat oven to 325F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.Cream together butter and sugar until light, 2 minutes.Add in eggs one at a time, until fully incorporated. Don't worry if the batter doesn't look smooth. Add vanilla. Stir in flour, salt and baking powder until batter is uniform and no flour remains. fill each muffin, liner 3/4 full with batter.Top each cake with 1 1/2 tsp Nutella.Swirl Nutella in with a toothpick, making sure to fold a bit of batter