My favorite Cupcakes

It is no lie that I love cupcakes.  Over a number of years I have looked for the perfect recipe. I found one that works so well because it is versatile. It is called a White Almond Sour Cream cake, but I don't often use almond flavoring. It could be any flavor you want! I have made lemon ginger cake, chocolate, and plain vanilla. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 box cake mix (whatever flavor you want)
• 1 cup flour 
•  1 cup granulated sugar 
•  generous dash of salt 
• 1 cup sour cream (I have used Greek yogurt as well) 
• 1 cup water (or soda, milk, frozen juice concentrate, etc. You can use any flavor here. I never use plain water) 
• 3 whole eggs
• 1 tablespoon flavoring (I use 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon "other" like mint, lemon, or some other flavor that goes with the cake mix you choose. You can also use 1 TB of vanilla)

Instructions 
In a mixer, add the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pans and bake as usual. This makes the amount of batter as if you used 1 1/2 mixes and is perfect for a 10″ sq OR 9×13 OR one 8″ and two 6″ round; OR two 8″rounds OR a 12″ round; and other combinations of pan or 36 cupcakes.  I usually bake at 350 and it takes a lot longer to bake. I start testing the cakes at 20 minutes.

Buttercream Dream Icing
This icing crusts nicely. It works wonderfully to pipe on cupcakes. This tastes just like a bakery buttercream used on their cakes.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks butter (one salted, one unsalted OR 2 unsalted and add about 3/4 teaspoon salt)
• 1 cup shortening
• 2 lbs powdered sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5-6 tablespoons cold milk

Instructions:
Cream the butters and shortening together. Add the sugar and vanilla and allow the mixture to blend well before adding the milk. Add the milk 1 TB at a time until it is the desired consistency. If you want thinner icing, add more than 6 TB milk.