Normally in the past I make box cake for my kids birthdays but I have decided not to anymore. Not knowing or able to pronounce some of these ingredients in these boxes are alarming, at least the ingredients making from scratch I know what they are.
I made vanilla cupcakes with icing for my kids birthday and what a huge difference in the taste verses boxed! My daughter wanted purple cupcakes with a flower type of design on the top.
Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes & Icing
2014-06-02 07:56:27
Serves 24
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
18 min
Ingredients
- For vanilla cupcakes
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 2 ½ cup flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup 2% milk (I used almond milk)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
For cupcake icing
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- cup 4-6 cups of icing sugar, sifted
- 6 tbsp 2% milk (I used almond milk)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- unit decorating sugar, for garnish (optional)
Vanilla cupcake directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line 2 muffin tins with large cupcake liners. I know most people separate wet and dry ingredients when baking but not me, I added all of the ingredients for the cupcakes in my mixer and mixed until completely blended. I use an ice cream scooper and with one dollop I placed the mix into each cupcake liner and baked for 18 minutes. Allow to cool before adding icing and garnish.
Icing directions
- I used a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (you could use an electric beater), beat the butter until it is fluffy. Add 2 cups of the icing sugar and first beat on low speed to incorporate, then increase the speed to high, until fluffy. Add the milk and vanilla and beat in. Add the remaining 2 cups of icing sugar and beat in, adding further up to 6 cups until a fluffy and spreadable consistency is achieved (the softness of your butter when you begin is the reason you may have to make this adjustment). I took a ziploc bag and cut a slit in the corner and filled it with the icing to spread the frosting on the cupcakes and sprinkled with colored sugar. Then I decorated the top with colored pastel M &M's.
Notes
- Since the cupcakes have no preservatives in them they can be stored at room temperature and will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Mama to 6 Blessings https://mamato5blessings.com/
Have you ever made cupcakes or cakes from scratch before? If not I encourage you to do so, it’s easy and tastes SO good!
Mama to 5 Blessings is also linking this post at:
Sunday: Heart Nap Time, Flamingo Toes, Nifty Thrifty Things, DIY Show Off, // Monday: C.R.A.F.T. Boogieboard Cottage, Sew Can Do,Sumos Sweet Stuff,Pursuit of Function a Home, DIY Home Sweet Home, Keeping It Simple, Mad in Crafts, So Much Better with Age, Skip to My Lou, Cupcakes & Crinoline Deceptively Educational // Tuesday: Creative Blog, Hope Studios, Sugar Bee Crafts, Not Just a Housewife, Linda’s Lunacy, Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm, Nap-time Creations, Elizabeth & Co., Learn With Play at Home //Wednesday: It’s Overflowing, DYI by Design, Southern Lovely, Vintage Gwen, Creations by Kara, Ginger Snap Crafts, Someday Crafts, Polka Dots on Parade, 36th Avenue, Life with the Crust Cut Off, Simply Designing, // Thursday: The 36th Avenue, Shabby Creek Cottage, Artsy Fartsy Mama, 52 Mantels, No Minimalist Here, live laugh rowe, Imparting Grace, The Girl Creative, Somewhat Simple, The Frugal Girls, Kid’s Activity Blog, Lessons Learned Journal // Friday: Flaunt it Friday, Close to Home (Recipes), The Charm of Home, French Country Cottage, Redoux, Simply Sweet Home, Liz Marie Blog, Shabby Nest, Thirty Handmade Days, The Stitchin’ Mommy, Whipperberry, Turning Back the Clock, Feeding Big, Weekend REcipe Link Up // Saturday: Crafty Moms Share, Sugar Ants, Funky Junk Interiors, Six Sisters Stuff, Tatertots and Jello, Or so she says, Your Homebased Mom, Too Much Time on my Hands,
It’s been a long time since I made cupcakes from scratch. I tend to be a quick-and-easy type of baker but agree that the unfamiliar ingredients in pre-packaged mixes don’t really sound appealing!
I’ve tried making my own icing in the past – I think homemade tastes wonderful. However, I can’t ever seem to get the right consistency and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong.
They look so delicious! My mom always made homemade cakes as well she didn’t care to much for box ingredients either. Love the sugar color topping too!
My mom always made homemade cakes, too!
My mom did too! She used to make a peanut butter cake that was to die for.
What is it with kids and cupcakes? They do love them, don’t they? These look delicious!
It is not just kids.. lol I love cupcakes!
There truly is such a huge difference in homemade versus box products. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Sounds yummy!
I agree! I much prefer to know exactly what is going into them!
These are so cute, and I love all the pastel colors! My girls would definitely enjoy these!
I don’t ever use a cupcake mix. Scratch tastes so different and so delicious! Those look yummy.
The cupcakes came out awesome looking (I love the pastels) and I am sure they went over well 🙂
I agree with not using box mixes anymore! I had not had it in a while and I made cupcakes recently. They made me so sick!
These look delicious! My daughter would love them, homemade is so much better than a box!
We don’t use boxed mixes unless they are organic. Homemade from scratch is always better.
These are perfect for Eastertime.
Looks yummy. I like that the ingredients are in my pantry. Thanks for the recipe.
You are so awesome. How do you do it? I’ve never tried making a cake or cupcakes from scratch and I’m going to be 50 yo next year. Shame on me… You make it look and sound so easy too. I will definitely have to give this a try! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
My dad used to have a great recipe for chocolate pound cake cupcakes. So great with a soft inside…
I love the idea of using your own colored sugar! These seem delicious!
Yum! There is nothing like homemade cupcakes and icing.
This looks delicious! I don’t make a lot of box cakes for birthdays anymore either. My kids love my homemade cakes; so I make special effort to make it all from scratch now. And they are all loving it. I have to try this vanilla cake recipe now.
This is perfect for my daughter to make.. She loves to bake!
YUM! My daughter would love these. THANKS!
These look great. Love homemade cupcakes!
Yum, I love a good cupcake but I’ve never tried making my own frostng!
We enjoy cupcakes and I can make them homemade. But I never thought about making my own icing. Gotta try that next time.
From the heart and the kitchen is what I love best. Adding this to my treasury of great recipes 🙂
I am absolutely with you on the scary ingredients in processed foods and I think you are amazing for trying to eat healthier. I try to do the same and I really appreciate blogs like yours that offer great recipes like this, with simple ingredients that we can pronounce. These look delicious and I bet your kids loved them!
I hate the ingredients in processed foods too!
Homemade cupcakes are the best. Thanks for the recipe!
Never thought about making birthday treats from scratch. Definitely seems to be worth the effort. Thanks for the recipe.
Cupcakes from scratch are always delicious!
Homemade cupcakes blow boxed cake out of the water. These look really good!
There’s nothing quite like classic cupcakes. Mmmmm! I haven’t made them in quite some time, I’ll have to soon
Homemade from scratch cupcakes are always the best! You’re right, there is such a difference in taste from boxed versus made-from-scratch. These look delicious 🙂
It’s hard to beat homemade! It’s easy to change up the flavor once you have the basic recipe down as well. Swap out the liquid for a variety of flavors.
Will def try this with my friends!
These sound amazing. I am all for vanilla cupcakes and these sound perfect… Love the frosting… my mouth is watering
We love all things homemade in our home and always prefer them over boxed..very cute!
These look delicious. I love making home made icing. It tastes so fresh and great.
Nothing like homemade and from scratch!!
These look so yummy! Homemade cupcakes are way better than the boxed stuff anyways. Plus you know what’s in them.
I grew up with a mom that always made cookies, cakes, brownies, cupcakes and anything else baked from scratch! Sometimes I cave to the pressure (when I run out of time) and buy a mix, but I’m with ya – homemade is the way to go!
I’ve never made cupcakes from scratch, I really should. I am a real newbie in the kitchen and do not have the confidence to tacky something like this……but I should!
Regardless of whether it’s cupcakes or any other food, homemade or from scratch is always the way to go! It always tastes so much better in my opinion. These cupcakes are super adorable!
Yum, we love homemade cupcakes (no choice due to allergies! I will be trying these for our next batch
we do a mix of boxed and from scratch. a lot depends on timing, who’s making, etc. 🙂
I love these cupcakes! I used to make some like it but I lost the recipe thank you so much for sharing this.
Great idea! My little girl would absolutely love to make these. I’ll have to let you know how they turn out.
You can’t go wrong with vanilla cupcakes! I love that you made your own colored sugar too. They overprice it in stores!
I haven’t experience making cupcakes from scratch but even so, just decorating the toppings felt critical and tiring.
The icing and sugar coating / drops at the top makes it a lot sweeter making it a perfect dessert.
These cupcakes are adorable and would have been perfect for Easter!! Maybe an idea for next year!!
Those look yummy!
Those do look tasty. We saw a cupcake truck this weekend (selling cupcakes by the beach) and I thought that was cool too. I love cupcakes. 🙂
I love cooking and baking from scratch whenever I can 🙂 I have made cupcakes from scratch several times, and even came up with my own homemade basic mix to make it easier and more convenient. You just combine all of your dry ingredients in the proper ratio for your basic recipe and mix really well.
These cupcakes look so good and fun to make.
can you make me some? lol. those look amazing, i’m hungry.. homemade is always better, to bad i suck at baking.
Cupcakes and muffins are my favourite deserts what i can easily bake. I always love new recipes. The drops make it look really fun for kids.
I used to love to bake when my son was little. This looks fun to do with the little ones.
I love a good homemade cupcake. These look really cute and easy too!
I am one who likes to which it up instead of having same thing every year. Thanks for sharing recipe.
Thanks for sharing a recipe! Your cupcakes look delicious. Love the way you decorated them!
How delicious! Now I have a crawing, lol. Really have to try these out!
Wow, it has been a while since I have made any pastry. Guess tomorrow will be making some for myself and love sharing my baking. Great idea to make homemade, box never have the same flavor.
Homemade food is always so much better! I need to give this cupcake recipe a try!
Thanks for sharing your recipe! I would love to do this too!
This look and sound delicious! I love baking from scratch. There is always that rush of accomplishment when I can make something that the family likes. Will have to give these a try. Thanks for sharing!
I love making my own cupcakes. It is the homemade frosting that I haven’t perfected yet!