Yesterday was a very good friend’s 60th birthday. All invitees, about 20, were asked to bring a dish of their choice while some others were elected to bring desserts:-) like me….

So what to offer women for desserts for a small cocktails party? a big cake did not seem appropriate. It is a mess to cut, and you have to serve people. Some want small pieces, while others yearn for the big ones..

Being spring, I wanted to be a refreshing dessert so i opted for not offering chocolate. Chocolate is my favorite but at this time of the year most people shy away from  chocolate desserts for more lighter, fruity desserts.

I wanted something sweet, but not overwhelming sweet and I wanted to be bite size.

My macarons seemed to be a good option. So I made raspberry and orange. But I needed something more substantial like a cake, and decided with mini cupcackes. That’s when it became really really difficult to choose which one, as choices are endless.

As I browsed through my various cookbooks, I became more confused about what to choose. What if so and so did not like peanuts, or fruits, or apple. or….and it also became clearer that maybe I should just offer something that most people would like. Something sweet in taste, flavorful and yet subtle like vanilla. Most people like vanilla, I thought. In fact vanilla is the favourite ice-cream flavor of Americans.

So it was decided: Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frostings. Light, flavorful and still very powerful in taste.

The recipe is for 12 big cupcakes or 72 mini cupcakes or mini savarins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour,
• 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder,
• 1/4 tsp of salt,
• 6 Tbsp of butter,
• 2 large eggs,
• 1/2 cup of whole milk,
• 2 Tbsp of vanilla extracts,
• 1/2 cup of sugar

1. Turn the oven to 350.
2. In a bowl, mix the flour, the salt and the baking powder and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat the sugar and the butter until it becomes light and fluffy.
4. Add one egg at a time beating well.
5. Add the flour mixture in 3 times, alternating with the milk ( 2 times). Beat well until well combined, but do not overbeat.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcakes and cook for 8 minutes for the mini ones, and 18 for the big ones. Let the cupcakes cool before decorating with the frosting.

Frosting:

• 3 large egg whites at room temperature,
• 3/4 cup of sugar,
• 3 sticks of butter at room temperature,
• seeds from a vanilla bean, and 2 tbsp of vanilla extracts.

1. In a large bowl combine the egg white and the sugar, and the vanilla seeds.
2. Set the bowl over simmering water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the egg white mixture is warm to touch ( 160F).
3. Remove from the saucepan and whip with an electronic mixer until the mixture is fluffy, and holds peaks.
4. Slowly add the butter a little bit at a time, and continue beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
5. Scoop the frosting into a pastry bag, and decorate the cupcakes to your liking.

So, you must have thought she had 72 cupcakes for 20 people. She must have had a few left-overs. Well I will say I only brought 20, and even those were eaten by my children as I went home. Results: WINNER!!!!

Those little cupcakes were a hit, just like my macarons.

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!