Go-to cupcake recipe

Looking for the perfect cup cake recipe? The Crabapple Bakery recipe is one we just can’t improve upon, and makes for perfect cupcakes each time. Here we link to the recipe and guide you to icing them to perfection.

Fortunately for us, the publisher has posted the full recipe online. The book, The Crabapple Bakery Cupcake Cookbook by Jennifer Graham, is out of print, but check your local library or online, and it is well worth having for inspiration and great recipes.

PERFECT VANILLA CUPCAKE RECIPE

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 30 mins + 30 mins cooling time
Makes: 24–36 patty pan sized cakes (approx 6cm/2.5 inch diameter – standard muffin tray size)

Crabapple Bakery Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE VARIATION

Throw a tablespoon of cocoa in to sift with the flour from the vanilla cupcake recipe.

ICING / FROSTING

The Crabapple Cupcake butter frosting is perfect for either the vanilla or chocolate cupcakes. For chocolate frosting, simply add another cup of cocoa to the sifted icing sugar, and add a little more milk (another ¼ cup to allow for the extra dry ingredients).

My sister-in-law, Victoria, is a star cupcake maker, and has a few hints on how to get icing to look picture perfect like in the picture shown above.

She mixes the frosting, and then rolls it in cling wrap in a log shape to make it easier to manage and less messy in the piping bag.

She uses a wide, star-shaped nozzle that gives a nice detail to the frosting.

Start at the middle of the cakes and pipe outwards in a quick circular motion.

Top with some cachous or sprinkles for added effect (go to a specialty cake decorating shop for particular colours, or check your local supermarket). Cakes are better served immediately rather than refrigerated.