Afelia’s Buttermilk Cupcakes were whipped up one day when me and my daughter were baking in late 2015. Using buttermilk is something I enjoy in my cupcakes as I find it tends to produce a softer, fluffier cake. The addition of buttermilk always adds a softness and spongy texture to any sort of bake, whether it’s cakes or bread you’re baking. What is buttermilk I hear you ask? Buttermilk is basically the sour liquid that remains after butter has been churned but it’s something you can easily replace with a homemade substitute. I don’t know about you guys, but buttermilk isn’t an ingredient I always have to hand at home, so it’s great to know how to make a quick alternative with store cupboard ingredients. Whenever I have baked these cakes I’ve always received great feedback and everyone always loves how soft they are!

If there’s one thing I hate about baking cupcakes or cakes in general, it’s the stage where you have to cream together butter and sugar, I find that if I can skip that part, baking becomes easy! Does anyone else feel the same? This was the reason I developed this recipe using oil instead of butter, it makes baking so much easier; there’s no need to wait for the butter to come to room temperature, which saves on time, meaning you can bake whenever you feel like it. When my daughter was at primary school I used to prepare the cupcakes in the morning when I woke, by the time I was dressed they were baked and ready to go into my daughter’s lunch bag!

This recipe produces cupcakes with a perfectly domed top, so they don’t need to be decorated, they look really pretty as they are, you may want to just add chocolate chips or nuts for a simple and easy afternoon treat. The cupcakes can also be customised to your own preference, I have added cocoa powder to the batter and added chocolate to the buttercream, you can keep the cupcakes plain or add lemon/orange flavourings or fruits like blueberries/raspberries. You don’t have to add chocolate to the buttercream either, just add a few drops of vanilla essence and you’re done.

I don’t always add vanilla essence to this recipe as you will see, you may, it definitely adds more flavour and aroma to the cupcakes. I’ve decorated my cakes using Minstrels but you can use any chocolate or fruit you like, strawberries also go really well with this and the sharpness helps to cut through the sweetness. This has become my number one ‘go to recipe’ for cupcakes when I’m in a hurry and have to bake something, whether it’s for my own family or special occasions. I’m hoping it becomes your number one ‘go to recipe’ too!

Makes 10 – 12 cupcakes

You will need: for Afelia’s Buttermilk Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
1/2 cup of milk
1 tsp white distilled vinegar
100g white sugar
75ml oil
2 medium eggs
140g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)

For chocolate cupcakes:
2 tbsp cocoa powder (replace 2 tbsp of self raising flour with the cocoa powder)

For the chocolate buttercream frosting:
100g butter
200g icing sugar
100g milk chocolate
1 – 2 tbsp of milk (if required)
Minstrels to decorate (optional)

Method:

Preheat your oven to gas mark 4 before preparing the ingredients.

Start by preparing the homemade buttermilk substitute. To 1/2 cup of milk add 1 tsp of distilled vinegar, leave to one side whilst the milk curdles.

Add 100g of sugar to a mixing bowl, measure and add 75ml of oil and whisk together till combined.

Crack in 2 medium eggs….

….and whisk well. If you are using vanilla essence now is the time to add it, add 1 tsp.

Next sift in 140g of self raising flour (you will need to replace 2 tbsp of flour with 2 tbsp cocoa powder if you are making chocolate cupcakes).

Add 1 tsp of baking powder and add 2 tbsp of cocoa powder (if you are making chocolate cupcakes).

Mix all the ingredients together until smooth.

The buttermilk made earlier will have curdled by now, add slowly, mix to combine until completely smooth.

Add fruit, nuts or other ingredients at this stage if you are using them.

Prepare 10 – 12 cases in baking tins, I am using muffin cases to bake the cupcakes as they do tend to rise a lot.

To ensure the cupcakes are equal in size to one another use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to measure the batter into the cases. Fill the cupcake cases and ensure you use a spatula to empty each cup before measuring again, you should be able to get 12 cupcakes if you wipe clean every last drop of batter (sometimes I pinch batter from the cases that look slightly fuller to get a full set of 12, lol).

Bake in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes until risen and cooked. DON’T overcook these cupcakes, set a timer or keep a close eye on the time, this will ensure the cakes are moist and not dry.

Remove from the oven once baked and allow to cool completely.

Measure and cube 100g of butter (the image shows a lot of cubed butter, not all of it is required).

Cream the butter in a stand mixer (or use a handheld mixer) for about 10 minutes, on a low setting, until the butter is smooth and looks a couple of shades lighter.

In the meantime measure and melt 100g of milk chocolate in short 20 second bursts, remove to stir after each zap in the microwave.

The chocolate is ready when it is melted and completely smooth (as in the top left photo). Leave to cool to one side.

By now your butter should be smooth and look like the top right photo.

Measure 200g of icing sugar and sift into the creamed butter, add the icing sugar gradually and whisk well after each addition to ensure a smooth buttercream.

Add the melted chocolate to the buttercream, I like to drizzle it using the end of my spatula, this helps to cool it as it hits the bowl.

Fold in using a spatula and then return to the stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) to mix completely.

The buttercream will look like the bottom right photo. If you feel the buttercream is stiff and not smooth enough to pipe, add 1 tbsp of milk and mix really well to combine. Add more ONLY if you feel you need it, adding 1 tbsp at a time.

Prepare a nozzle to pipe the buttercream with, I am using a Wilton 1M nozzle.

Fit into a disposable piping bag and place the bag over a tall glass or jug, this makes filling the bag easier.

Pull down the sides of the bag over the jug (as shown in bottom left photo) and fill with the buttercream.

Pull up the piping bag and using the edge of your hand push the buttercream towards the end of the nozzle.

Twist the top of the bag and you’re ready to pipe.

Only start to pipe the cupcakes once they are COMPLETELY COOL, otherwise the buttercream will melt!

Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the centre of the cupcake and allow the buttercream to fall down, the nozzle should not touch the cupcake.

Using a swirling motion go around the cupcake slowly…..I’m telling you it wasn’t easy to photograph AND pipe the cupcake simultaneously!

When you get to the end, gently lift the nozzle away to taper the buttercream. Place a Minstrel (or two) over where the buttercream ended to conceal and neaten the cupcakes.

The cupcakes are best enjoyed on the day they are baked, they won’t be around for long so be sure to grab one!

This recipe can be easily doubled and tripled for larger bakes.

Bon Appetit!

3.5.3226

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