Double Vanilla Cupcakes with a Buttercream Frosting

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Well, I’m sure you thought, “It’s 2012, the beginning of the year, the time we all try and re-invent ourselves.” I’m also pretty sure you thought I would come out low-fat, gluten-free, no sugar, blah, blah-ing you to death. But nope, not the case. I’m giving you an awesome recipe that is fullon everything.

 

It was a request, and I promised myself that 2012 will be the “do as you’re told” year. This is just “do as you’re told” from readers, mind you, not every schmuck I meet in my dayto-day dessert diva trollings.

So what did a reader suggest for the first dessert of the year? I know the anticipation is killing you. Insert fake drum roll here … Double Vanilla Cupcakes with a Buttercream Frosting. Take that, you Johnny-come-lately new year dieters.

This is a great recipe, always a big hit when I whip them up. I believe the request came from someone throwing a baby shower. I like that she didn’t want to do mini-cupcakes, and wanted the full mack-daddy cupcake. These are almost as easy as making them from a box (ugh) and oh so much better (obviously).

I use pure vanilla extract, and a vanilla bean. Nothing beats the little flecks of vanilla streaming through the cupcake. Even if you can’t tell a difference, believe me, there is. Try it, you will like it. You will feel fancy, and don’t we all want a little fancy in the new year?

I guess this could really be called triple vanilla, now that I think about it. There is a nice amount of vanilla in the frosting as well, so if you love you some vanilla, this is your dessert! I would suggest some delicious chilled vodka with this treat, but I am trying to cut back on the pairing of liquor with every dessert. If I was still pairing the two, then that would be my suggestion, but I’m not, so I won’t. Did I confuse you? I need to stop drinking the vanilla vodka when I’m making these cupcakes.

Now, follow the directions, put some love into it, and invite me over when it’s done.

Double Vanilla Cupcakes with a Buttercream Frosting

3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 1/2 granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 tbsp. vanilla

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

1 1/4 cups milk

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350. Line two 12-count muffin tins with cupcake wrappers (or grease muffin tins). This recipe makes approx. 15-16 cupcakes.

In small bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla, vanilla bean and milk. Combine flour ingredients slowly into wet mixture.

Divide evenly between cupcake liners, filling about two-thirds of the cup.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until toothpick in center comes out clean (17 minutes was perfect in my oven). Take out and let cool in pan for 10 minutes, take out of pan. Cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tbsp. milk (might need a little more, add slowly)

Beat all ingredients until smooth.

You may need to add more milk, or a tad more sugar, depending on what consistency you desire. Enjoy!

You can watch the Dessert Diva every Monday at 8:35 a.m. on Channel 2. To contact Danette at the station, visit 2thedeuce.com, and click on Daybreak on the Deuce. To chat and/or send comments and suggestions, write to jdromega@aol.com.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com