Valentine's Day Mini Cupcakes

 Valentine's Day Mini Cupcakes

Yummy and festive!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line at least one 24-cup cupccake pan.

Whisk together the flour, baking power, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk powder in a large bowl and mix well.

Combine the eggs and the vanilla extract in a mixer.  Whisk.

Slowly whisk in the sugar, then the melted butter and the water for the buttermilk.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in portions, until combined.

Add the sprinkles and fold them in.

Spray the cupcake liners and any other pan you want to use with non-stick spray.

Start to scoop-- 1 teaspoon for each mini cupcake.

Bake for about 7 minutes, until the centers come out almost cleanly with a toothpick.

Frosting: combine the milk, vanilla extract, and salt in a small bowl to dissolve the salt.

Whip the butter in the mixer for about 1 minute, until smooth.

Sift the confectionery's sugar.

Add the confectionery's sugar in batches to the butter and whip well in between each addition.

Once all sugar is added, whip the mixture for about 8 minutes on high.

Dye to preferred color and shade.

Pipe icing onto cupcakes: done! :)

Valentine's Day Mini Cupcakes

Cooking time: 7 minutes
Prep time: 45 minutes
Total time: 52 minutes
Servings: 96 (one cupcake) **approximate*

Nutrition info per serving (one mini cupcake, with frosting):
Calories: 77 calories
Fat: 4 g
Sodium: 61 mg
Carbs: 9 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 1 g

Ingredients:
3 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons buttermilk powder
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cup water for buttermilk powder
1/2 cup Jimmies sprinkles

Frosting:
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt (about 1/16 teaspoon)
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/2 cups)  butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectionery's sugar, sifted

**Will have a pinch left-over frosting*

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line at least one 24-cup cupcake sheet with liners.  Spray leach liner with non-stick spray.
2.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk powder in a large bowl.
3.  Whisk together the eggs and vanilla extract in the mixer until combined.  Then, add the sugar on high speed until incorporated.
4.  Add the butter and the mixer, in portions, then add the water.  Combine till smooth, then fold in the sprinkles.
5.  Place about 1 teaspoon of mixture in each liner, then bake for about 7 minutes, until centers come out almost clean with a toothpick.  Let cool completely.
6.  Frosting:   combine the milk, vanilla extract, and salt in a small bowl to dissolve the salt.
7.  Whip the butter in the mixer until smooth, then slowly add the confectionery's sugar until smooth.
8.  Add the vanilla mixture to the batter and whip until smooth.  Once combined, whip all for about 8 minutes, until completely smooth.
9.  Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and you're done! :)

**Adapted from The America's Test Kitchen's Family Baking Book's Easy Yellow Cupcakes recipe,
The America's Test Kitchen's Family Baking Book's Quick and Rich Vanilla Frosting*

Delicious and fun!  Enjoy! :)