Recipe: Buttermilk Cupcakes with White Frosting

Buttermilk Cupcakes with White Frosting
rec.food.recipes/Carole (2000)
Makes 24

3 cups cake flour -- * see note
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
3/4 pound unsalted butter -- at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter -- softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon extract

* Note: Do not use self-rising flour.

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Sift together the dry ingredients into a medium-size mixing bowl, and set the bowl aside. Break the eggs into a small bowl, and set aside. In an electric mixer, cream the butter and the sugar until they are light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. With the mixer running, carefully pour in the eggs and the vanilla and almond extracts. Mix in the flour mixture and the buttermilk by alternating between 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of buttermilk; be sure to start and end with the flour mixture. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners. Fill each cup with batter using an ice-cream scoop with a 1/4-cup capacity; the batter should nearly reach the top of the cups. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the cupcakes for 45 minutes on a baking rack. Generously ice them with White Frosting.

WHITE FROSTING:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the powdered sugar and butter until smooth. Add the salt, lemon extract, and milk; beat until smooth. If the icing is too thin, add more confectioner's sugar; if too thick, add more milk.