Almond Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

– October 4, 2011Posted in: Dessert

Happy Birthday Rachel!

(Well, belated Happy Birthday as far as the blog is concerned)

Rachel’s birthday was Friday, but we celebrated all weekend long. We’re still recovering from the sugar overload. Aside from these Almond Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream, we also made Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats (recipe coming Thursday!). The cupcakes are long gone and there is only one rice crispy treat left. Which Rachel has claimed for breakfast tomorrow.

almond cupcake vanilla buttercream frosting

Rachel tells me, as I write this, that she isn’t really a cupcake kind of girl. But that these cupcakes were the best thing since Velveeta met mac and cheese…I gave her a silly look at that comment, but there’s truth in it. How good were they? Let’s just say she had one for breakfast and three for dessert the day I made them.

Here’s to another Happy Birthday over, and many more to look forward to!

Recipe: Almond Cupcakes

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 1 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and almond extract.
Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Scoop batter to lined cupcake trays.
Bake cupcakes for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and rotate cupcakes. Bake additional 8 minutes until light golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Cooking time: 18 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12

Recipe: Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a bowl combine butter, sugar and salt. Beat till blended.
Add the milk and vanilla and beat for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy.

Number of servings (yield): 12

Blog is the New Black

Posted October 4, 2011 at 8:10 AM

Looks amazing! Sounds almost like a homemade funfetti cupcake… the best! Happy belated to Rachel!


Chris

Posted October 4, 2011 at 8:24 AM

Thanks Liz!

Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray

Posted October 4, 2011 at 9:05 AM

Happy Birthday, Rachel! Excellent choice on the almond cupcakes–it’s a flavor I always thought I didn’t like until I recently discovered I’m obsessed with it.

I hope you continue the celebration–birth”week”s are the best!


Chris

Posted October 4, 2011 at 9:51 AM

Same here Tara! It wasn’t until I made an Almond Cake for my FIL that I realized I was missing out on the deliciousness. I was going to do an amaretto butter cream for these cupcakes but I ran out of time. For the better. I think it would have been too much. Vanilla complimented perfectly.
- Reply
  
  Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray
  
  Posted October 4, 2011 at 11:57 AM
  
  I was thinking that about the amaretto buttercream myself! It’s definitely on my to-do list; I love amaretto anything. But I agree–vanilla seems like a better call for these!

Rachel @ Baked by Rachel

Posted October 4, 2011 at 9:49 AM

So sweet of you to have made dessert for her. Hope she had a great birthday!


Chris

Posted October 4, 2011 at 10:00 AM

Thanks Rachel! She had a great birthday weekend. I went a little overboard cooking (as I usually do), but everyone enjoyed – especially the birthday girl.

Lauren at Keep It Sweet

Posted October 4, 2011 at 10:17 AM

These look like a great way to celebrate and your photos are fantastic!


Chris

Posted October 4, 2011 at 2:29 PM

Thank you Lauren! My mouth started watering as I posted these pictures, unfortunately the cupcakes disappeared too quick to do anything about it

Cassie @ Bake Your Day

Posted October 4, 2011 at 2:09 PM

I hope Rachel had a wonderful birthday. I think almond cupcakes are the best around!


Chris

Posted October 4, 2011 at 2:30 PM

Thanks Cassie! She had a great birthday weekend and appreciates the birthday wishes (second only to cupcakes)

amy @ fearless homemaker

Posted October 4, 2011 at 7:11 PM

happy birthday to rachel! the cupcakes look delicious + it sounds like you all had a lovely sweets-filled weekend. =)


Chris

Posted October 5, 2011 at 3:03 PM

Thank you Amy!
(PS – Happy Blogiversary to you!)

Larry

Posted October 4, 2011 at 9:37 PM

Happy Birthday, Rachel! Excellent choice on the almond cupcakes–it’s a flavor I always thought I didn’t like until I recently discovered I’m obsessed with it.
+1

Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

Posted October 5, 2011 at 10:45 AM

Almond cupcakes are the best! What a great birthday treat! Happy late Birthday!


Chris

Posted October 5, 2011 at 3:04 PM

Thanks Erin! I would have dismissed almond cupcakes myself, going for something with chocolate. But glad Rachel picked these as they were really good. She opened my eyes to the deliciousness

Charissa

Posted October 5, 2011 at 9:21 PM

These are simply adorable! Love the fun-ness of cupcakes…

Oh, and there’s a giveaway going on at my site if you interested!


Chris

Posted October 6, 2011 at 8:17 AM

Awesome. Thanks for the heads up Charissa, I just headed over. Grats on your 100th post!

Cookin' Canuck

Posted October 6, 2011 at 3:53 PM

Happy belated Birthday, Rachel! These sound like a wonderful go-to cupcake recipe – the almond makes them more sophisticated than a standard recipe. Love it!


Chris

Posted October 7, 2011 at 2:43 PM

Thanks Dara! I agree, the almond makes them more of an “Adult” cupcake perfect for us big kids heheh.

Vivian

Posted October 23, 2012 at 5:39 AM

Hi Chris! I was looking for an almond cupcake recipe and decided to use yours. It was incredibly simple and soooo delicious! Thanks for sharing it (and the great story along with it!)

Cheers