Sometimes you just have to have cupcakes, and of course you need a cupcake recipe and if you can find a really cute 9 year old to be your sous chef then these are the perfect cupcakes to bake together. What I love about this recipe is that it hardly has any sugar, just a 1/4 cup for 10 big cupcakes and the icing is sweetened with maple syrup and made a pretty shade of pink with fresh raspberries. Thank you Presley for your mixing, sifting, spreading and your big beautiful smile. xo
Vanilla Cupcakes with Pink Frosting
This recipe make about 8 to 10 cupcakes, depending on the size of your muffin tin.
These are the perfect cupcake treat for kids when you don't want them to have too much sugar.
Ingredients for the Cupcakes
1/4 cup butter, softened at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yogourt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk (or substitute almond or rice milk)
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cake flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
Ingredients for the Frosting
1/2 cup raspberries
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened at room temperature,(do not use low-fat)
1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yogourt
2-3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
12 raspberries to decorate the cupcakes, optional
Red sprinkles, not optional!
Directions for the Cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Cream the butter and the sugar with a handheld mixer or a mix master until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add in the sour cream or yogourt, milk, vanilla, and eggs and beat to until well combined.
3. Add in the baking powder, salt, and flour, and mix until just combined. Stir with a spatula to make sure all of the dry ingredients are mixed in.
4. Spoon into a muffin tin that has been lined with paper liners, filling each one about three quarters of the way.
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until just golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Directions for the Frosting
1. To make the frosting mash the raspberries in a small bowl with a fork. Spoon the mashed raspberries into a fine mesh colander and press through the wire to release the juices into a small bowl. Discard the seeds. You should have about 1/4 cup smooth raspberry puree. Set aside.
2. Beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and maple syrup with a mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in raspberry puree. Taste and if you like it a bit sweeter and a bit more maple syrup. Spread or pipe icing, (I use a plastic bag with one corner cut off) onto cupcakes. Garnish with a raspberry on top and red sprinkles, like Presley did.
Cooks Notes
You could use strawberries in place of the raspberries.
I used cake flour for my cupcakes, but if you only have all-purpose flour that works too.
Don't forget to buy some sprinkles and save a few berries for decorating.