Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Tax Day Cupcakes

We've all heard it. Time and time again over the past months. "These are tough times." These tough times have led to a 20% cut in my job. I love my lifestyle and was having a hard time envisioning a cut in my fun money. Would I give up going out to eat or dance class? Pilates or wine on the weekends?

I asked around and asked my family to pass on the word that I was looking for part time work. Just something to supplement my lost income. Enter my mother-in-law. She pulled some strings and was able to offer me part time work at the accounting firm she works with. I never knew there would be such a huge difference between a non profit office and a business office. I'm not talking work. I'm not talking office procedures (although there are differences). I'm talking personalities. They play music in this business office. All the different offices and cubicles all have music going! They have a Sponge Bob basketball hoop. They play games! They have fun and laugh and sometimes...they even swear!

Today was tax day and at the end of the day they have a party with mini golf around the office and snacks in the conference room. MIL asked me to bring cupcakes and and I was sure the frosting needed to be green. MONEY MONEY MONEY! I didn't have a vanilla cupcake recipe that was my go to recipe. I do now! Supposedly this recipe comes from Magnolia Bakery in NYC. I found it fantastic. The frosting is my own recipe that I use for most of my cupcakes. Just powdered sugar, milk, shortening, Fluff, and vanilla.

Vanilla Cupcakes
Source: Food Network
Yield: 20 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 2 (1/2 cup-12 capacity) muffin tins with cupcake papers.
In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

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