SIMPLE VANILLA CUPCAKE RECIPE | GLUTEN FREE

Cupcakes are really easy yet so fun to make. What starts off as a simple recipe can be decorated beautifully with fresh fruit, sprinkles and lots of buttercream. 

I love experimenting with cupcake flavours, there are so many amazing combinations to test. However, sometimes it's important to go back to basics. As this is my first recipe for my new series, I thought I'd start with one of my favourites, vanilla. This recipe makes around 20-24 cupcakes depending on what style of case you use. 

Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 16-20 minutes 
Skill level: Easy

Ingredients for the cupcakes

250g gluten free self-raising flour (I use Dove's farm)

250g butter 

250g caster sugar 

4 eggs 

1 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for the buttercream

250g Icing Sugar 

80g Unsalted Butter at room temperature

30ml Milk

Splash of vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170 C fan and line your cupcake tins with cases. 

2. Put your softened butter and sugar into a bowl and cream until light and fluffy. I usually do this for around 3-5 minutes. I like to use a freestanding electric mixer but you can use a hand held mixer or a wooden spoon. 

3. Add in your eggs one at a time incorporating a little flour with each egg. Mix until fully combined. I like to sieve the flour as this gives the cupcakes a lighter texture. 

4. Mix in your vanilla extract and once incorporated, divide your mixture into your cases. I like to make them around two thirds full. 

5. Place your cupcakes into the oven for 16-20 minutes. I like to keep an eye on my cupcakes as my oven is quite hot so I usually check them after 16 minutes and add on any extra time if needed. You can tell your cupcakes are done by inserting a small skewer into the centre and if it comes out clean they are ready. Alternatively you can touch the top of the cupcakes gently and if it springs back they are done.

6. Transfer the cakes onto a wire rack and allow to fully cool before icing. You can decorate the cupcakes however you like. I quite often like to make them into butterfly cakes. 

7. For the buttercream, add your softened butter, icing sugar into a bowl and mix using a freestanding electric mixer or hand held mixer until incorporated. 

8. Add in the vanilla extract, milk and mix again for around 5 minutes until the buttercream is a light and fluffy texture. 

9. Put the buttercream into a piping bag with a nozzle of your choice and put to one side. 

10. To make them into butterfly cakes, cut a circle out of the cake, not too deep, put onto a plate and then cut the circle in half to make two butterfly wings. 

11. Pipe a flower of buttercream into the hole in the cake and stick the two halves of the cake onto the top. 

12. Enjoy your cakes!

Tips and tricks

-This recipe can easily be made dairy free by replacing normal butter with dairy free spread. When making this dairy free I prefer to use Vitalife Sunflower spread but you can use whatever you have in the fridge. 

-Replacing white caster sugar with golden caster sugar gives the cupcakes a rich caramelised flavour. 

-Once cooked, the cupcakes will last in a air-tight container for 3 days. 

-If you have any spare cupcakes they are easily frozen and can be taken out of the freezer a few hours before serving and they still taste great!


If you make this recipe, don't forget to tweet me a picture (Twitter @cupcakesncfloss) or tag me on Instagram (@cupcakesandcandyfloss). 

What's your favourite cupcake flavour? 

Lauren