My Favorite Recipe

Just last week, I finally discovered my go-to vanilla cake recipe! I've had such bad luck in the past with vanilla cupcakes, that I was determined to find a successful recipe. So I did! Here's its background story.

I went to a high school just 2 blocks away from well-known NYC bakery, Billy's. I knew a couple of people who worked there, so I would often visit them and get free cupcakes. It was bliss! They made the most amazing vanilla cupcakes, and I'm sure my friends knew the recipe, though I never bothered asking. However, just the other day, when googling "the best vanilla cupcake recipe," one of the top results happened to be "Billy's Vanilla/Vanilla Cupcakes". Not only that, but it was posted on Martha Stewart's website. I made Anthony visit numerous supermarkets in the hunt for non self-rising cake flour (which is extremely hard to find). Eventually he found a box and boy, oh boy, was I thrilled!

The recipe yields around 30 cupcakes, which was perfect, since we had all our friends over for the Giants/49ers game. Anthony made pulled pork and it was absolutely delicious. Nothing went to waste, which is a miracle in my household, so it was the ultimate success. And the Giants beat SanFran and made it to the Superbowl!

I can't stress this enough when I say, "if you follow this recipe to a T, you will not be disappointed!" Only use the ingredients that this recipe calls for. Don't try to use substitutes for the non self-rising cake flour, it really won't come out as perfect. Also, and this is very important, do not overfill your liners! It will destroy your cakes, I promise you. I made this mistake once. Another tip is to never over-beat your batter. Keep that in mind when making any recipe - especially this one. Without further ado, here it is:

Vanilla Cupcake recipe: (yields 24-30)

1 3/4 cups non self-rising cake flour

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 T baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

2 sticks butter

4 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract (not pictured below)

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.

2. In your mixer, gather all your dry ingredients and give it a good stir.

3. Cut your 2 sticks of butter into cubes, and add them one at a time into your bowl, mixing thoroughly each time.

4. Add your eggs one at a time. Mixing thoroughly after each addition.

5. Pour your vanilla extract into your milk. Add your vanilla-milk into your batter in 3 parts.

6. When all your ingredients are blended, scrape the sides of your bowl and give it a good mix with the scraper, just to bring it all together.

7. Scoop your batter into your liners, dividing evenly. Only fill up 3/4 of the way.

8. Bake in preheated oven 17-20 minutes. Until toothpick comes out clean.

Peanut Butter Frosting recipe: (makes enough for 14-18 cupcakes)

2 sticks softened butter

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup marshmallow creme

2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 T milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Gather all your ingredients, leaving out the milk, and mix till everything is blended.

2. Add milk till a consistency to your liking is reached. Usually 2-3 T.

3. Pipe away and decorate! We used chocolate shavings!

Last but not least, share these babies with your friends and family -- they will love you forever! I made this recipe yesterday when visiting our friends and their 3 kids. Their 7-year old told me, "this is the first time I ate a whole cupcake!" And guess what? That's one of the many reasons why I bake. Because it makes my loved ones happy. Why do you bake?

XOXO,

Marge