This is my go to Vanilla Cupcake and Cake recipe. It is an overall versatile recipe you can pull out for any occasion.  This recipe 20-24 cupcakes or 40+ mini cupcakes. This recipe can be easily cut in half. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups Red Fife Multipurpose Flour
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk (to make your own, see notes)
•  ⅔ cup vanilla greek yogurt
• ½ cup avocado oil or vegetable oil
• 4 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting

• ½ cup unsalted butter- softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ½-2 cups confectioners sugar

Step One
Preheat oven to 350F. Line your muffin tray with cupcake liners and set aside.

Step Two
In a large bowl, mix flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

Step Three
In a separate bowl, whisk wet ingredients together; eggs, buttermilk, yogurt, oil and vanilla.

Step Four
Add wet ingredients to your dry, mix lightly, and do not over-mix! ( i like to use my dutch dough whisk here or a spatula to fold the ingredients together). There will be small lumps, don't over mix to try and smooth them out. Leave them.

Step Five
Pour mixture into prepared muffin tray. For mini cupcakes, use 1 tbsp of batter per cupcake; for regular-sized cupcakes, use ¼ cup of batter or fill the liner to ¾ full. 

Step Six
Bake at 350 F for 15 mins for mini cupcakes and 20 mins for regulars. Be sure the center has set and is not jiggly; you can insert a toothpick in the center, and if it comes out clean with no batter ( a few moist crumbs are fine), they are cooked. 

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting

Step One
In your mixer with your whisk attachment, beat your butter at high speed for 5-8 mins. Scraping down the sides as you go. The butter will turn to a light, fluffy consistency. If you are not sure if it is ready, beat it longer.

Step Two
Turn off your mixer and add 1 cup of sugar. Turn the mixer on low and allow the sugar to start to incorporate. Now add vanilla and turn back to high speed.

Step Three
Turn your mixer back off and taste your frosting. If you want it sweeter, add ½ cup of sugar and mix on high speed. Taste and repeat until you have your desired flavour. I personally do not love a very sweet frosting, so I am modest with my sugar.

**For a Valentines Day flare I added organic strawberry jam and a strawberry powder (crushed freeze dried strawberries) to the frosting to give it a lovely pink hue and a strawberry flavour. 

Notes
-Cupcakes will keep well in an airtight container for 5 days.
-Make your own buttermilk by adding 1 Tbsp of white vinegar OR lemon juice to 1 cup of any milk of your choice and let sit for 5 mins.


                                                             Enjoy!