I rarely make cake from scratch; like brownies, the box mix for cake is usually just as good as, or better than, the results of slaving over the stove and measuring ingredients.  Purest bakers will disagree. They can bite me.

Still, I was feeling adventurous when I made some vanilla cupcakes from scratch for the Cupcakes for Charity event, and they were a success! I was going to try a new recipe for frosting, too, but I ended up making my tried and true Damn Frosting. It was an excellent combo. Anna, one of the fabulous event organizers, demanded the recipe for my cupcakes, so lady, this one’s for you.

I’m 90% sure I dug up this recipe up from the bowels of 52cupcakes and promptly lost again forever. It’s specifically a cupcake recipe, and I have no idea if that makes a difference in full sized cakes. If you try it for a sheet or round cake, let me know how it goes.

Vanilla Cupcakes

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking posder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 12 sticks unsalted, room temp. butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk

Heat your oven to 350* F. Cream together the butter and sugar until it’s fluffy (about 4 minutes). Meanwhile, in medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the eggs to the batter one at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and milk alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes, and cool the cupcakes on a wire rack.

Happy baking.