Little Vanilla Cupcakes

I wish it were acceptable for a 23-year-old to use an Easy Bake Oven.  Those tiny little cake pans would be great for portion control nowadays, don’t you think?  When I played with my Easy Bake at the tender age of, I’m not sure, around 7 maybe, I had a great baking ritual.  I’d plug in the oven over by the ledge where my mom kept her plants, switch the tiny TV on to America’s Funniest Home Videos (back in the days of Bob Saget, man), and stir together a little pouch of dry ingredients with some water and love.  On most occasions I’d lap up so much of the batter that there was little left for the actual baking, but that was all really part of the experience.

Now I finally have a grown-up version of the treasured baking device, all thanks to a generous gift from one of my favorite couples during Christmas.  The Babycakes Cupcake Maker really works for me, mainly because I seem to have a knack for over-baking traditional cupcakes.  Not that my failures have ever prevented me from whipping up a pan of normal-sized cupcakes, but it’s nice to have an alternative.  Especially when the alternative is in such a bright pink casing.

The cupcake maker honestly takes no effort to operate.  You mix together your favorite cake batter, dump a spoonful into each slot on the oven, turn the oven on, and close the lid.  In about 6-7 minutes there’s a batch of munchkin-sized cupcakes waiting for you.  I’m sorry to be pushy about a product, I know that overall it isn’t a necessity in baking, but ARGH it’s so cute and only about  $30 a piece.  It comes with a pastry bag, too!  To pipe frosting!

If you really need more information, this video answers the all-important question, “Does it work?”  I believe the male reporter actually says, “Now there’s a way to make cupcakes at home!!!” Thanks, dude.

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Adapted from the Babycakes Cupcake Maker Recipe Book

Makes about 16 cupcakes

Note: This recipe is specifically for the Babycakes Cupcake Maker.  If there are other cupcake makers you think would work with this recipe, let me know!

Ingredients:

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar together until creamy, about one minute.  Beat in sour cream until combined.  Add egg whites and beat at high speed for two minutes.  Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally to be sure everything is combined.

Add half of the flour mixture to the liquid ingredients and beat at low speed until well-blended.  Add milk and blend well.  Add what’s left of the flour and beat at low speed until combined.  Stir in vanilla.

Fill each cup in the cupcake maker (roughly two tablespoons per cup).  Make sure not to overfill the cups.  Bake in cupcake maker for about 6-7 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Buttercream Frosting

Makes about 1 1/3 cups of frosting.

Ingredients:

Beat butter until creamy.  Add powdered sugar and milk, beating again until creamy.  Finally, stir in the vanilla.

Frost cooled cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, colored sugars, or anything that makes you smile.  They’re mini-cupcakes, after all.