Week 10: Vanilla Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting

** Disclaimer: Something weird happened with the font on this post. I worked on it for awhile, then got frustrated and decided to just leave things as they are b/c Sailor Boy would be frustrated with me if I threw the computer across the room out of frustration. Lots of frustration. :) **

What do you do when your friend is having a birthday and she doesn't like chocolate? You make vanilla cupcakes, of course! Having never made cupcakes from scratch (did I just hear a collective gasp from all of you?), I thought I'd give it a shot for Angelina's birthday.

And... my sincerest apologies for the shortage of photos this time around. I was in a hurry to get the cupcakes done in time for the party, and believe it or not... taking pictures is time consuming. Please enjoy the ONE photograph in this post. :)

Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 24

Recipe from Obsessed With Baking

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 1/2 c. flour

1 1/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time-- making sure each is well incorporated, then beat in vanilla.

Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk. Do not overbeat.

Divide batter evenly among 2 muffin pans (24 cupcakes).

Bake for 16-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

Cool in pans on wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Oh yeah, there's more...

Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick butter @ room temperature

1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese @ room temperature

1 1/3 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. raspberry jam

Beat butter on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy.

Add cream cheese and beat on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, 30 seconds - 1 minute. (Notice a pattern here? Who wants lumpy frosting anyway?)

Sift powdered sugar into creamed mixture and beat on medium-low speed until the sugar is all incorporated.

Add jam and continue beating.

Make sure you don't overbeat or the frosting will become soupy. Ew. Soupy frosting. Grody.

I sampled one of the cupcakes before the frosting went on them. It was so good. Seriously, why have I been making cupcakes from a box all this time? Very vanilla-y (yes, that's a word now) and it had the perfect crumb and consistency.

The girls at the birthday party all raved over the cupcakes and the frosting. I had to take their word for it on the frosting because personally, I can't stand cream cheese. Blech. I'm glad they enjoyed it though, because it would be pretty rude to take gross cupcakes to a birthday party.

Happy 29th birthday Angelina!

And because I like you all so much, I'll show you the picture again.