The Mixed flavours of Snow cupcakes...

I was missing Amma so much today. As I wallowed in sorrow, I believed baking the cakes she used to bake for me when I got good marks would help. Trust me it worked wonders. I spiced the recipe a little just to add something new. I made some raspberry filled butterscotch cakes, white chocolate and topped with coconut, peanut butter and chocolate chip cupcakes. With this recipe you have enough room to play around. To make this you need,

• 1/2 cup of flour,
• 1/2 cup of sugar,
• 1/2 cup of butter,
• 2 eggs,
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda,
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• Now this is where you have fun. The cake is fairly simple and I love experimenting with flavours so I add butterscotch morsels, (of you are in India, mix in some crushed nutties), or add some chocolate chips, I filled the centres of some of the cupcakes with raspberry preserve. Add some peanut butter chips or peanut butter to the batter, add crush mint candies, add pineapple essence or a little bit of cinnamon and ginger. Basically go nuts! Have fun creating your own flavours

All you need to do is cream the butter and the sugar in together and then add the eggs one at a time. Shift in the flour and baking soda, slowly as you stir. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake tray lined with cupcake wrappers. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutess of till fork comes out clean, when you prick the centre)

This is one was filled with raspberry preserve and had a butterscotch, peanut butter base. Turned out to be a great combination. I would have never guessed.

For the frosting:

I made a fairly plain vanilla buttercream frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 1/2 confectioners sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

In a food processor, process butter about 30 seconds or until smooth. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the confectioners sugar and process again, about 15 seconds.

While the motor is running, drizzle in the extract through the small opening in the feed tube.

Process for another 30 seconds, or until smooth.

Cooks Note: For a stiffer frosting, add a little less milk or more confectioners sugar. For a glaze, or thinner frosting add more milk or less confectioners sugar.

This same mixture can also be made in a stand mixer, but add the confectioners sugar on very low speed (or use the bowl cover), as it has a tendency to splash out of the bowl.