Vanilla cupcakes are frosted with a vanilla buttercream frosting to create a vanilla lovers cupcake! I was provided with a copy of Martha Stewart’s Cakes cookbook, as well as the opportunity to attend a book signing with Martha Stewart.
Last week I had the opportunity to attend a book signing at Macy’s home store in Las Vegas with none other than Martha Stewart. Martha is on a book tour for her brand new Martha Stewart’s Cakes cookbook. It’s her very first cookbook of cakes and includes bundts, loaves, coffee cakes, layer cakes, cheesecakes, fillings, frostings and more.
It’s hard to believe that Martha Stewart hasn’t ever put out a cake cookbook before! I read cookbooks like novels and was able to sit down with my copy a few days before hand to check it out and loved the great combination of cakes and tips in the book.
I arrived at Macy’s Home Store (on Spring Mountain and Arville for you locals!) early to check in. There was a nice crowd waiting excitedly to have their books signed. Martha just casually walked to the book signing area and said hello to the crowd before posing for some photos with her book. After I had my cookbook signed, I stuck around for a while to watch the crowd and Martha seemed to enjoy interacting with her fans.
I have said it before that baking cakes and cupcakes is not exactly my strong suit in the kitchen. But my daughter’s 1st grade teacher has a birthday this week and I wanted to bring in a special treat for her and the class, so I put my new cookbook to a test. Her teacher’s favorite cupcakes are vanilla cupcakes so I went with Martha’s recipe for Vanilla Layer Cake and baked it in to cupcakes.
I decided to frost them with Martha’s basic buttercream frosting. I did change that recipe up a little by using half butter and half palm shortening and adding almond extract, just as a personal preference. But I followed the technique described in the recipe to make the frosting and it helped me get a fantastic frosting.
Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting may sound boring, but thanks to Martha Stewart’s Cakes, these will be a new family favorite.
Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cakes Cookbok
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- Buttercream Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups palm shortening
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prehat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12 cup muffins tins with paper liners and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until well incorporated.
- On low speed, mix in flour, salt, and baking powder just until blended.
- Add in milk and vanilla extract and beat until batter is smooth.
- Fill muffin tins until just a little over half full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcakes comes out clean. Put cupcakes on cooling racks and allow to cool completely before frosting.
- For the Buttercream frosting:
- Beat together butter and shortening until light and fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar on low speed, 1/2 cup at a time. After every other addition, beat the frosting on high speed for a few seconds to whip it.
- Once all the sugar has been incorporated, add the extracts and mix to combine. Frost cupcakes and keep cool as the buttercream can get soft in heat.
This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by Macy’s.
How many cupcakes did this make? Trying to figure out if I would be fine with this or if I would need to double it. Thanks!
Hi Camille,
What an exciting day to be at a book signing for Martha Stewart,”that’s a good thing”! Those cupcakes look awesome, I’ll have to make them and am looking for that book today! Hope you are having a great week and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Great recipe! Love the story, too! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with vanilla – sometimes basic and simple is the best. I always add almond extract, just gives it so much depth!
My mom taught me that trick – to add almond extract! I couldn’t figure out why my cream cheese frosting was never as good as hers. 🙂
I would have never guessed that Martha didn’t have a Cake Cookbook. Very neat that you were able to be at a book signing! Thanks so much for sharing at The Mommy Club Link Party!
I know! You’d think that’d be one of the first cookbooks she published. Thanks for stopping by!
I wouldn’t call these plain it all! It’s nice to have a simpler flavor in contrast the ever increasing crazy combinations you see out there (not that many of them don’t look yummy too!)
I have been trying to find something to make for my brother’s birthday this weekend, I think this is it! Thanks!
Thanks, Karen! They certainly didn’t taste plain, either. 🙂