Vanilla Cupcakes with raspberry buttercream icing - Kids in the kitchen

Many of you who follow my blog regularly will know my ten year old daughter Poppy loves to bake &  cook. These school holidays she's been taking every opportunity to get into the kitchen. The cupcakes above were made solely by Poppy, the only exception being I took them out of the oven for her and I was there to offer a small amount of advice (but only when asked!)

She seems to have a knack for subbing in-and-out ingredients and a good eye for when things are properly cooked. Although she started with a recipe, it's been changed along the way to suit her idea of what she wanted to achieve.

Poppy chose this recipe because Daddy likes vanilla and his favourite icing is raspberry. Our small boysenberry bush we've not long planted provided three berries to top the cupcakes (which were reserved especially for Daddy)

Ingredients:

Cupcakes
150g butter, softened 1 1/2 cups Caster Sugar 2 large eggs 2 tsp vanilla essence 2 1/2 cups self raising flour 1 1/4 cups milk
Buttercream Icing 100g butter, softened 2 1/2 cups Icing Sugar 6-8 raspberry flavacol 3 Tbsp milk

Sprinkles of your choice.

Cupcakes Method
Preheat oven to 175C. Cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light & fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until fully combined. Add the sifted flour, milk and vanilla, beat until smooth. Half fill cupcake papers (supported in a cupcake pan).

Bake for 15 minutes until golden or until they spring back when lightly pressed. Allow to cool while you make your icing.

Buttercream Icing Method

Beat the butter until it is pale and fluffy with an electric mixer. Add the icing sugar, flavouring & milk until you have a light, fluffy mixture. Spread or pipe icing over cupcakes and top with sprinkles as desired.