Easy ways to improve your homemade cupcakes
Sydney bakery owner Gabriela Oporto shot to fame after supplying singer/songwriter Taylor Swift with cake on the international star’s recent visit to Australia.
Here’s her advice, and recipe, for making the “fluffiest cupcakes” at home.
Where do people go wrong when making cupcakes?
• They don’t mix the butter and sugar long enough.
• They don’t add eggs slow enough.
• They over mix the batter once they start adding the flour.
• They don’t bake them straight away.
Gabriela’s vanilla cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups caster sugar
- 115g butter, unsalted
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
- 1 cup milk
Method
- Place butter and sugar in a bowl and mix with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs, one at a time. Mix until well combined and colour has become lighter.
- Add half the sifted flour and mix on low speed, then alternate with half of the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk. Make sure you do not over mix the batter at this stage. When it is lump-free, it’s ready.
- Line a cupcake tray with cupcake holders, and using a spoon, fill holders up to three quarters.
- Bake at 180°C/160°C fan forced for 15/20 minutes. Check if ready by inserting a skewer in the centre. It has to come out clean.
- Put aside to cool.
Easy buttercream icing
Ingredients
- 250g butter, unsalted
- 4 cups icing sugar, sifted
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 Tbsp milk or cream
Method
- Place butter in a bowl and mix with a handheld mixer until light and creamy. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
- Slowly add icing sugar and mix until the sugar has dissolved. Test this by putting some between your fingers. If is feels grainy, continue mixing.
- Add vanilla extract and milk. Mix until combined
