Bake it: Vanilla Condensed Milk Cupcakes

There's one particular recipe that I always use when making my signature cupcakes, and it's absolutely brilliant. Simple and easy to make, with no hard or difficult bits within the process.

You simply weigh all the ingredients, mix them together in a big bowl, put in the oven and boom. You have 12 beautiful cupcakes. (I tend to come out with more for some reason, so don't be surprised if you come out with say 16)

The good news is that it doesn't use sugar, it uses condensed milk. (which is so delicious)

The following recipe I read in a magazine, so here it is: Condensed Milk Recipe

For the cupcakes - what you need:

• 250g Carnation Condensed Milk
• 125g plain flour
• 85g unsalted butter (at room temperature so leave it out of the fridge a few hours before making the cupcakes)
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ tsp baking powder

*If you want to add any other flavours into the cupcakes, go right ahead! If I'm in the mood for chocolate I'll just cut up a chocolate bar into tiny pieces and throw it into the mixture at step 002 making sure it's mixed in well. You could do this with nuts as well.

The frosting - What you need:

• 200g icing sugar
• 55g unsalted butter (at room temperature makes it easier to mix. Leave it out of the fridge a few hours before making the frosting)
• few drops vanilla extract
• 1-2tbsp Carnation Condensed Milk

What to do:

001. We want the oven nice and warm so pre-heat it to 180°C, (or 160°C for fan ovens), or on Gas Mark 4.

002. Once you've weighed all the ingredients, find a big bowl and put them all there. Now, unless you're super strong like me (ha I'm not really) use an electric mixer - it makes life so much easier! Mix all the ingredients together until there are no lumps.

003. Line the cupcake tin with a vast array of pretty cupcake cases, and spoon the mixture into the cases. 

004. Place the cupcakes in the oven. Bake them for about 15-18 minutes. Check on them after 10 mins - but don't open the oven before that otherwise they won't rise! To check that they're done place a sharp knife through the middle of the cupcake and if it comes out clean then those bad boys are ready to come out.

005. Let the cupcakes cool. This is VERY important if you're wanting to add frosting to them.

006. Whilst the cupcakes are cooling off, get all the ingredients for the frosting and place in a large bowl. Get your electrical whisk or mixer and mix all the ingredients together.  You want the icing to me thick (but not so thick that you can't stick it on the cakes). Add various food colouring to the mixture if you want different colours, otherwise without adding the colouring you'll have a creamy/yellow colour - which I personally love anyway :)

007. If you're a master in the cupcake area, or just want a challenge, use a piping bag to add the icing to the cupcakes, otherwise just slap it on top making it look smooth.  Add some decorations, obviously depending on your mood.

008. DONE. This will be similar to your outcome:

 

Hope you've enjoyed this post, and there are no possible reasons as to why you can't make these cupcakes. It's just too darn easy!