Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

Contains: egg, milk, wheat (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• CUPCAKES
• 1 cup Vegetable Shortening
• 1-3/4 cup Sugar
• 2-1/2 cups Cake Flour
• 1-1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 2 whole Large Eggs
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 2-1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (or The Caviar From 1 Vanilla Bean)
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Vinegar
• Icing
• 1 stick Butter, Softened
• 1 package (8 Ounce) Cream Cheese, Softened
• 4 cups Sifted Powdered Sugar (more If Needed)
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (or The Caviar From 1 Vanilla Bean)

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease 18 muffin cups lightly with a little of the vegetable shortening, or line them with paper liners if you have them.

2. Cream the 1 cup vegetable shortening and 1-3/4 cups sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. Beat in the 2 eggs one at a time, then beat in 2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

4. Whisk the cake flour, 1-1/4 teaspoons salt and baking soda in a separate bowl. Stir the vinegar into the buttermilk and let it sit for 1 minute.

5. Add the flour mixture to the batter in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture and starting and ending with flour. Mix only until smooth.

6. Divide the batter among the cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely.

7. For the icing, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar gradually with the 1/4 teaspoon salt and 3 teaspoons vanilla extract.

8. Beat the icing until fluffy, adding more powdered sugar if it is too soft to spread. Frost the cooled cupcakes.