These simple vanilla cupcakes can easily be dressed up to resemble the layers of candy corn goodness!
Ingredients
1 ½cupsall-purpose flour
2teaspoonsbaking powder
¼teaspoonsalt
½cup1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾cupsugar
2large eggs
1tablespoonvanilla extract
½cupmilk
Yellow food coloring
Red food coloring
Yellow nonpareils, for garnish
Orange nonpareils, for garnish
Candy corn, for garnish
For the vanilla buttercream frosting
1cup2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3cupsconfectioners’ sugar
2tablespoonsmilk
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in egg, one at a time, until well combined. Beat in vanilla just until incorporated. With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients and milk alternately in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated.
Divide batter in half; tint one batch yellow with yellow food coloring and tint second batch orange by combining yellow and red food coloring.
Scoop a spoonful of yellow batter evenly into the muffin tray. Top with orange batter to completely cover yellow batter. Place into oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 1-2 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add milk and vanilla, beating just until incorporated. Increase speed to medium high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, approximately 1-2 minutes.
Use a small offset spatula or a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip to frost cupcakes, garnished with nonpareils and candy corn, if desired.