i love this recipe but wondered do you have to have vannila extract?~Hannah:)

I haven't baked from scratch in about 20 years. This recipe was definitely easy and fool proof. The cupcakes came out perfectly and delicious, only downfall.. not sweet enough but that could just be me, otherwise a SUCCESS!!!

I found that by adding a tsp of cinnamon and a 8th of a cup of brown sugar and 2 tbs of honey they had a nice sweet taste. I didnt try the recipe as is I went with the last comment and mended it a bit for my tatse as I have a sweet tooth

can you substitute the sugar with that powder sugar stuff??

Tomorrow's my girlfriends birthday and I needed something that I could make her that was easy and fast (last minute stuff) and these were perfect! I did them within thirty minutes and when I tasted them they couldnt be anymore perfect! also, I couldnt find any vanilla extra so I didn't put it in and they still tasted perfect! Thank you so much! :)

Hi Hannah,

You can make them without the vanilla, but then they won't be vanilla cupcakes :)

You could substitute lemon or orange extract or juice and finely grated citrus peels. If you have any dark rum, you could use that, or other flavoring liqueurs such as Dekuypers butter rum schnapps, coconut rum, amaretto, anisette, orange curacao, limoncello or walnut liqueur. These flavorings are not as concentrated as vanilla extract is, so you'd need to increase the amount used to a few tablespoons or more. I know I probably shouldn't, but I do taste the batter to be sure it has enough flavor and is not too bland before baking. To keep the correct ratio of liquids in the batter, add the flavorings to the measuring cup and add enough milk to measure 2/3 cup (plus 2 teaspoons for the missing vanilla). Most of the alcohol evaporates during the baking. Remember that vanilla extract also contains alcohol.

A side note: I steep vanilla beans in dark rum for a year or more to make great tasting vanilla extract. (You can also improve store-bought vanilla extract this way).

This is not a clear extract because the vanilla beans eventually break down in the rum. At that point, I add more beans, more rum, more vanilla extract, etc. I keep this in a wire-bail bottle with a rubber stopper like the ones that are used for brewing root beer or ales.

Vanilla sugar is also wonderful to use in baking; add a few vanilla beans to a tightly sealed container or jar of sugar and allow it to sit for several months before using.

-- CM

Hi I was wonder if i could use self rising flour

I wanted to make this but I was wondering if you could add fruit like strawberrys and if so how?

Thank,
Kendra

Thank you for the recipe ,which came out very nice and liked by children and adult . Please keep on posting more such nice ones. It wasn't time consuming either. Thanks again .

Hi Hollaa,

I would only use granulated white sugar or honey, etc. Powdered sugar tends to make baked goods too dense.

-- CM

I would like to ask, if I want to bake only 6 cupcakes, what's the amount of the ingredients needed?
Thanks in advanced. :)

Hi Rose,

You can use self-rising flour if you also eliminate the baking powder and use 1/8 tsp. salt. Make sure your self-rising flour is fresh (not older than 6 months).

-- CM

Hi Erica,

1/4 cup softened butter
scant 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 cup cold milk

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven.

Yield: 6 cupcakes.

Flavor may be varied by substituting lemon, orange or almond extract for the vanilla and adding 1/2 tsp. freshly grated citrus peel (without the white portion).

-- CM