VANILLA CONFETTI CUPCAKES

 There comes a time in every person's life where food becomes their best friend. And what good qualities do best friends possess? They have to be A. Fun; B. Cheery; C. Sweet and most importantly, they must be there for you. WELL have I got a treat for you! This lovely cupcake has all those qualities and is therefore like a best friend that you can eat right up! 

I mean, you could 'eat' your best friend, but I think you might be more than just friends at that point... Just a thought.

I love the cheerful bright colours the sprinkles add to these cupcakes, but of course they are optional if you wanna keep it simple for a plain old vanilla cupcake. But people, there's a time and a place for plain old vanilla cupcakes, why not live a little and brighten up your life! 

Like every other cakey substance i make, I am sure to guarantee a moist product. Dry anything will not make the blog-cut. These are delicate and soft, with a nice light buttery/sweet/vanilla flavour. Plus they are so stinking ADORABLE. 

What you need:
3/4C all purpose flour
2/3 tsp. baking powder
pinch of baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 C butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 C plus about 2 tbsps. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4C buttermilk (1/4C regular milk with 1 tsp. vinegar mixed in; let sit for 5mins=buttermilk)
1 tbsp. vanilla yogurt.
SPRINKLES (Rainbow nonpareils)

Buttercream icing:
1/2 C butter, at room temp.
1-2 C icing sugar aka powdered sugar-- (or more or less depending on how sweet you like it)
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)-- note if you use it the frosting will not be super white
1 tbsp or so of milk or cream-- just to make the consistency not as thick. 
beat all ingredients together, until fluffy, tasty and light icing forms! 


What you need to do:

prep work: MAKE YOUR BUTTERMILK 
Preheat oven to 325 (maybe I should mention I have a convection oven, so it runs a lil hot; if you don't then bump up the temperature 15-20 degrees~ Or you can use the 325, what do i know)

Step One:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine and whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 

Step Two:
In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter together until creamy. Crack in the egg and beat it in, until combined. Mix in the vanilla extract. Then listen carefully; you're gonna add one-third (1/3) of your dry ingredients into the wet, stirring to combine. Then add half of your buttermilk, stirring to combine. Then add the next third of dry ingredients; stir in the remaining buttermilk and full amount of yogurt; then finally add the rest of the dry ingredients.

Was that confusing? Lemme br-br-break it down for ya:

Egg and vanilla. mix 'til combined.
1/3 dry ingreds., stir.
1/2 buttermilk, stir.
1/3 dry ingreds., stir.
other 1/2 of buttermilk. and all yogurt, stir.
final 1/3 of dry ingredients. stir to combine. 

 Then add your SPRINKLES! 

Evenly distribute the batter into the lined cupcake pan; filling cups a little over 1/2 full. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until it passes the poke test. Cool completely on a wire rack before icing. 

Then you can add icing (once they've cooled) and even moarrr SPRINKLES! 

mmm...deeelicious!!!

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^.^adapted from Mel's kitchen cafe