Vanilla and Rose Water Cupcakes

For Mr Mi's recent birthday bash, Mi asked me to make a batch of cupcakes to accompany her brilliant Nyan Cat Cake. I wanted to keep it simple so I decided to make a basic vanilla cupcake with a pleasing swirl of buttercream frosting on each one. I gave the buttercream a bit of an exotic touch by adding just a hint of rose water essence. The full recipe is as follows:

Vanilla cupcakes:
Recipe from Nigella Lawson

Ingredients

• 125g self-raising flour
• 125g caster sugar
• 125g unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 tablespoons milk 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Put all the ingredients, except the milk, in a large bowl and beat using an electric mixer until you have a smooth batter. 
3. Add the milk and beat for another few seconds.
4. Spoon the batter into a prepared cupcake pan. I used a mini cupcake pan.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes for mini cupcakes or 15-20 minutes for regular sized cupcakes.
6. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Rose water buttercream:

Ingredients

• 125g butter
• 2 cups sifted icing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 teaspoon rose water essence (amount can be adjusted according to taste)
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Red food coloring (optional)
• Silver cachous for decorating (optional)

Method

1. Beat the butter till pale and creamy. 
2. Add the icing sugar one cup at a time. Beat together.
3. Add the vanilla, rose water and milk and beat till smooth - Try not to be too heavy handed with the rose water. Less is more!
4. Add a few drops of food colouring. I used Wilton gel colours. Add very little at a time, beating after each addition, until you have a nice pink hue. 
5. Fill a piping bag with the buttercream and pipe onto each little cake. Add a silver cachous on top for extra cuteness!

You're sure to make people very happy because everyone loves a pink cupcake! Na xo