Cupcakes for Dessert Lovers

Start with one recipe for tender, from scratch cupcakes, then add some yummy frosting and filling variations to delight a whole gang of dessert lovers! (You can freeze the basic cupcakes without frosting or filling; seal in freezer bags and use within 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting and filling.)

Basic Vanilla Cupcakes

2-1/4 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/4 cups milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1-1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin cups with cupcake liners. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; reserve. Combine milk and vanilla; reserve. On mediium speed, beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar; beat 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended. Alternately beat in reserved flour mixture with milk mixture, starting and ending with flour. Divide batter among liners. Bake 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Transfer from pans to racks; cool completely. Makes 18 cupcakes.



White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes

Prepare and bake cupcakes. Melt 2-1/4 cups white chocolate chips; cool. On medium speed, beat 1-1/2 cups butter (at room temperature) until fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate and 2 tsp. vanilla. Beat in 2-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar until smooth. Chill until thickened, 15 minutes. Spoon 1-1/4 cups strawberry jam into plastic freezer bag; snip 1/4" hole in one corner. Insert bag tip 1" deep into center top of each cupcake; squeeze 1 Tbsp. jam into each. Transfer frosting to pastry bag fitted with star tip; pipe over cupcakes. Sprinkle with white edible glitter; top with strawberries.

Fluffernutter Cupcakes

Prepare and bake cupcakes. On medium-high speed, beat 2 cups unsalted butter (at room temperature) until fluffy. Beat in 1 cup creamy peanut butter, then 1 jar (16 oz.) Marshmallow Fluff or créme until smooth. Gradually beat in 1 package (16 oz.) confectioners' sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla until fluffy. Spoon 1-1/4 cups frosting into plastic freezer bag; snip 1/4" hole in one corner. Insert bag tip 1" into center top of each cupcake; squeeze 1 Tbsp. frosting into each. Spread remaining frosting over cuipcakes. Garnish with mini marshmallows and chopped peanuts.

Boston Cream Cupcakes

Prepare and bake cupcakes. Melt 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips; cool. On medium speed, beat 1 cup butter (at room temperature) until fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate. Beat in 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar until smooth. Chill until thickened, 15 minutes. Spoon 1-1/4 cups prepared vanilla pudding into plastic freezer bag; snip 1/4" hole in one corner. Insert bag tip 1" into center top of each cupcake; squeeze 1 Tbsp. pudding into each . Frost cupcakes. Garnish with sprinkles and Hershey's Kisses.

(Recipes taken from WOMAN'S WORLD, 10/5/09.)