Easy Cupcake Recipe Directions

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour• 1 1/3 cups sugar• 3 teaspoons baking powder• 1/2 teaspoon salt• 1/2 cup shortening• 1 cup milk• 1 teaspoon vanilla• 2 large eggs 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Add shortening, milk, and vanilla.  Beat for 1 minute on medium speed.  Scrape side of bowl with a spatula.

Add eggs to the mixture.  Beat for 1 minute on medium speed.  Scrape bowl again.  Beat on high speed for 1 minute 30 seconds until well mixed.

Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners until 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes in pans then remove and place on wire racks to cool completely.

Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost with your favorite frosting recipe or decorate as you desire.

MAKE ICINGIngredients:

1 ½ cups of Crisco (1 ½ sticks of Crisco)2 Tablespoons imitation vanilla extract put in cup,then add milk to equal 1/2 cup total.2 lb bag of powdered sugar

Directions:

Place Crisco in a mixer bowl. Add milk/vanilla mixture and a little powdered sugar.

Mix on low speed gradually adding the rest of the powdered sugar.

Mix on the highest setting for 7 minutes, stopping in the middle of mixing to scrape the bowl sides and bottom. Be sure to mix for the full 7 minutes.

Hint:

If using white Crisco, so the icing will be white, add ½ teaspoon butter flavoring or oil to the recipe before mixing. Also use clear vanilla extract.

If using butter flavored Crisco, there is no need to add the butter flavoring. You can also use regular imitation vanilla extract. The icing will be a cream color.

CHOC ICING

170g cooking chocolate 30g butter 180g icing sugar 50 ml milk

Method:

Break chocolate into small pieces. Place it with butter in a pan and double boil over a pan of hot water until the chocolate and butter has melted.

Add icing sugar and milk and mix well. Remove the mixture from heat and beat it until smooth.

Use the frosting as a filling or to frost the top and sides of a cake

BUTTER CREAM ICING

120g butter 120g icing sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla essence Food coloring (optional)

Method:

Sieve icing sugar to break lumps.

In a separate bowl, cream butter till soft. Add icing sugar, a little at a time, beating continuously. Add vanilla and continue beating until icing is creamy and fluffy.

Color as you wish.

Variation:

Chocolate buttercream: Add 3 – 4 tsp of sifted cocoa powder to the icing above and beat until the cocoa powder is well blended in the icing.

Coffee buttercream: Prepare the butter icing as above, but omit vanilla essence. Instead, add 1 tsp of instant coffee powder diluted in ¼ tsp water into the icing. Beat well.

Mocha buttercream: Add 3 tsp of sifted cocoa powder into the coffee buttercream above. Beat well. Use as desired.