Vanilla Hydrangea Cupcakes
Recipe by Jay Miller
Makes: 24 cupcakes
Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes
Baking Time: 22 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
for the cupcake:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Clover Mooi River Premium Butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean
1 cup Clover Double Cream plain yoghurt, room temperature
for the buttercream:
500g Clover Mooi River Premium Butter
1kg icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt
gel food colouring of your choice
2D/star piping tip
piping bag
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 160C and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed 5 minutes until thick and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition then scrape down the bowl.
Add 2 tsp vanilla extract and the vanilla beans and beat to combine.
Reduce mixer speed to medium and add the flour mixture in thirds alternating with the yoghurt, mixing to incorporate with each addition.
Scrape down the bowl as needed and beat until just combined and smooth being extra careful to not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly into the cupcake liners, filling each two thirds full.
Bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature before frosting.
To make the buttercream, beat the Clover Premium Mooi River Butter until light and fluffy, beat in the icing sugar, a little at a time until fully incorporated and smooth.
Add the lemon juice and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
Dye the buttercream in any desired colour and fill a piping bag fitted with a 2D piping tip.
Start piping the outer circle first. Keep the icing bag at 90-degree angle to the cupcake and squeeze the frosting to form a star petal, gently release the pressure.
Complete the outer circumference first then proceed inwards until you have completely covered the cupcake.
Repeat for the remining cupcakes and enjoy.
