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Simple Vanilla Cupcakes

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Simple Vanilla Cupcakes – Nigella Lawson Simple Vanilla Cupcakes topped with Royal Icing. These are made in the food processor and are simple to bake.

vanilla cupcake

Need a really simple and beautiful cupcake? Here you go. I love to lay in bed at night and leaf through cookbooks. It calms me. One of my favorites is Nigella Lawson’s How to Be a Domestic Goddess. I was intrigued by the idea of icing the cupcake with royal icing. It kept me up that night. I woke up the next morning and made these immediately. And then we ate them all. They were delicious.

When I made these cupcakes for the first time I was convinced that there would not be enough batter to fill all 12 liners. But there was, you just need to have a little faith and you need to completely scrape the bowl. The cupcakes only need a few tablespoons of batter because you really do not want them to bake up higher than the cupcake liners. You need room for the icing to cover the top and leave of blanket of sweet goodness. This icing is perfect for travel because it dries hard. It is like the frosting that you get on a Christmas cookie. These are a wonderful little treat. I like to put sugared flowers on mine that you can find in a bakery supply store or even at a craft store. But they are just as beautiful plain.

vanilla cupcake

Ingredients //

For the cupcakes:

  • 1 stick plus 1 Tablespoon butter room temperature
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 to 3 Tablespoons milk temperature
vanilla cupcake recipe

For the Royal Icing:

  • 2 egg whites (or powdered egg whites)
  • 3 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • food coloring (optional)
  • sugared flowers (optional)

* adapted from Nigella Lawson *

Instructions //

Step 1:

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor except for the milk.

vanilla cupcake recipe

Step 2:

Pour the milk through the tunnel and process until smooth.

vanilla cupcake recipe

Step 3:

Put the batter in the prepared muffin tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until brown in a 350 degree oven. Cool completely and then ice.

vanilla cupcake recipe

Step 4:

Combine the egg whites and confectioners sugar in a mixing bowl and whip with a mixer until opaque and shiny, about 5 minutes.

vanilla cupcake recipe

Step 5:

Whisk in the lemon juice to thin out the icing.

vanilla cupcake recipe

Step 6:

Mix for a few more minutes until you reach the consistency for spreading on cupcakes.

vanilla cupcake recipe

Step 7:

Spread the icing on the top of the cooled cupcakes.

vanilla cupcake recipe

How cute are these sugar flowers?

vanilla cupcake recipe

Step 8:

Top with a sugar flower and let harden.

vanilla cupcake recipe

My new favorite cupcake.

vanilla cupcake recipe
vanilla cupcake

Simple Vanilla Cupcakes

bakedbree
Simple Vanilla Cupcakes – Put all of the cake batter ingredients in the bowl of the food processor and let the machine do all the work. The easiest cupcake ever.
5 from 3 votes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 stick plus 1 Tablespoon butter room temperature
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 to 3 Tablespoons milk temperature

For the Royal Icing:

  • 2 egg whites or powdered egg whites
  • 3 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • food coloring optional
  • sugared flowers optional

Instructions
 

  • Put all of the ingredients in a food processor except for the milk.
  • Pour the milk through the tunnel and process until smooth.
  • Put the batter in the prepared muffin tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until brown in a 350 degree oven. Cool completely and then ice.
  • Combine the egg whites and confectioners sugar in a mixing bowl and whip with a mixer until opaque and shiny, about 5 minutes.
  • Whisk in the lemon juice to thin out the icing.
  • Mix for a few more minutes until you reach the consistency for spreading on cupcakes.
  • Spread the icing on the top of the cooled cupcakes.
  • Top with a sugar flower and let harden.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Recipe Rating




Sara

Thursday 6th of August 2015

Can you tell me where you got the cute blue flowers from? Thanks!

bakedbree

Sunday 16th of August 2015

I got them in a bakery supply store, but I think they were Wilton.

Jennifer Smith

Tuesday 27th of January 2015

I just made these this afternoon. They are delicious. I love that they were fluffy and not dense like so many of the countless recipes I have made. These are my new go to when my children want vanilla cupcakes. I topped them with a cinnamon crumb and they were perfect! Thank you!

bakedbree

Wednesday 28th of January 2015

That sounds delicious!

Daisy

Friday 31st of January 2014

Hi :) I am 14 years old haha but I was wondering how do you start a blog for recipes? Does it cost money for a website? Sounds so fun! Thanks :P

bakedbree

Tuesday 4th of February 2014

You can start one for free on blogger.com. Good luck!

Eunice

Sunday 25th of August 2013

just wondering what kind of flour to use? all purpose? cake flour?

bakedbree

Sunday 25th of August 2013

all-purpose.

jane

Thursday 27th of June 2013

Wow this is an awesome cupcake recipe! It was just sweet enough and the the texture was great. I didnt have a food processor so I did it by hand and it was just fine. Also at the end I added a mashed banana and some chocolate and it was very yummy. Thanks for the simple and delicious recipe!!!

bakedbree

Thursday 27th of June 2013

I am glad that you like it so much Jane!