Valastro's Vanilla Cupcakes

I watch Cake Boss religiously, and when I found out that there was going to be a Kitchen Boss I was pretty excited. I'd always wanted to try a recipe from a famous baker and wonder if the desserts are really as good as they look. Guess what? They are. This recipe was featured on the Valentine's Day special of Kitchen Boss, and I printed it out from the site. As soon as I baked and iced them for the first time, they were gone. For the next few days, all I heard from my family was the word "more". I want more cupcakes please! I hadn't really been successful in finding a creamy vanilla buttercream until this recipe, and I use this icing anytime I can. I made a half batch of these cupcakes, which usually make 12 cupcakes exactly. I wanted to test my icing tips, so I tried a yellow rose, using a rose tip, and a flower, using the same tip. The pink cupcake ended up being my favourite, because it looked exactly like a rose. Even my sister's boyfriend was impressed, which is saying something since boy's don't really notice things like that ;)

I really recommend these cupcakes because they are delicious, and so is the icing!

Here is the recipe:

• 1 1/4 Cup of All Purpose Flour
• 3/4 Cup Butter, softened
• 3/4 Cup of Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 Teaspoon fine Salt
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
• 1/4 Cup of Milk, room temperature
• 1/4 Cup of Buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla extract
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 Large Egg White, room temperature

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and put cupcake liners in a standard 12 hole muffin pan.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.

3. In another bowl, mix together the milk, buttermilk and vanilla.

4. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium for 2-3 minutes. Add the whole egg, starting on low and increasing to medium until incorporated. Slow down to low again and add the egg white, increasing the speed to medium until it is also mixed in.

5. Add 1/3 of the dry mixture, and 1/3 of the wet mixture. Continue alternating until all ingredients are mixed, but not completely smooth.

6. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of batter.7. Bake 20-25 minutes until the cake tester or toothpick has come out clean.

Note-- These cupcakes will bake with a flat top, and will not end up dome or rounded shape.

Vanilla Buttercream:

• 1 cup of Butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups Icing Sugar
• 2 teaspoon of Milk
• Innards scraped from one vanilla bean (optional, but I highly recommend it)
• 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

Preparation:

1. With the whip attachment on your stand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy.

2. Pour the icing sugar in, 1/4 of a cup at a time until all of it is mixed in.

3. Add milk, vanilla bean seeds and vanilla. Increase to medium-high and beat until the icing is very light and fluffy.