Recipes

__VANILLA CUPCAKES__ (recipe by Paula Deen)


 * Ingredients**
 * 1 cup butter, room temperature
 * 2 cups sugar
 * 4 eggs
 * 3 cups sifted self rising flour
 * 1 cup milk
 * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
 * Directions**

Grease and flour cupcake cups and place them in muffin tins. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to cream for approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour and milk, alternating, into the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until well mixed. Divide the batter equally among the cupcake papers. Level the batter by dropping muffin pan on counter top to release the air bubbles. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until done. Cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes.

__MOIST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES__

1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup cocoa powder 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 cup water 1 teaspoon vinegar
 * Ingredients**

Mix all of the ingredients well with a mixer. It should be brown and smooth. Free of lumps. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Cupcakes will turn out moist and delicious. Buttermilk or milk may be substituted for water. Melted butter may be substituted for oil.
 * Directions**

__RED VELVET CUPCAKES__

1 1/2 cups of sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, room temperature 2 eggs, room temperature 2 1/3 cups of cake flour 2 tablespoons of Dutch-processed cocoa powder 1 teaspoon of baking soda 1 teaspoon of baking powder 1/2 teaspoon of salt 1 cup of buttermilk* 1 1/2 tablespoons of red food coloring 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar
 * INGREDIENTS**

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer for 3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy. 2 Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. 3 In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl whisk together the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring. 4 Add a fourth of the dry ingredients and mix, then add a third of the wet. Continue adding in a dry, wet, dry pattern, ending with the dry ingredients. 5 Scoop into cupcake papers, about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes of baking to ensure even baking. 6 Allow to cool for one minute in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes.
 * DIRECTIONS**