VANILLA HEAVEN CUPCAKES

1 cup milk, at room temperature
3/4 cup egg whites (from about 6 large or 5 extra-large eggs), at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups cake or all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 12 pieces

Adjust the oven rack to the center position, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners.

Whisk the milk, egg whites and vanilla in a medium bowl until blended.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer at the lowest speed.

Add the butter pieces; continue beating at slow speed until the mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery ingredients remaining, about 1 minute.

Add all but 1/2 cup of the milk mixture to the crumbs, and beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of the milk mixture, and beat 30 seconds longer.

Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl. Return the mixer to medium speed, and beat about 20 seconds longer.

Pour the batter into the muffin pans so the cups are about 80 percent full.

Bake 17 to 20 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the center of a cupcake; if it comes out almost clean, it is done. Transfer the muffin pans to wire cooling racks. Let cool for 10 minutes. Place the cupcakes onto a rack to continue cooling for at least 1 hour before frosting.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream or milk
Pinch salt

Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, cream or milk and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer at low speed, until the sugar is moistened. Increase the speed to medium, and beat, stopping to scrape down the bowl, until creamy and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes.

VARIATION:

FOR CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
Follow the recipe above but add 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and another 2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream or milk.

Makes about 24 cupcakes
Source: Super-Duper Cupcakes: Kids Creations from the Cupcake Caboose by Elaine Cohen