Bake a Batch of Frosted Vanilla Cupcakes
Bake a batch of frosted vanilla cupcakes using measuring, mixing, and oven safety with adult supervision; decorate with frosting and sprinkles while learning baking skills.
Step-by-step guide to bake a batch of frosted vanilla cupcakes
Step 1
Wash your hands with soap and water so they are clean and ready to bake.
Step 2
Ask an adult to preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Step 3
Put cupcake liners into each cup of the muffin tin so the cupcakes have a tidy home.
Step 4
Measure 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt into a mixing bowl.
Step 5
Measure 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter into a separate bowl.
Step 6
Cream the butter and sugar together with a whisk or electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Step 7
Crack and add 2 eggs to the butter mixture one at a time and mix after adding each egg.
Step 8
Stir 2 teaspoons vanilla into the batter to add yummy flavor.
Step 9
Add the dry ingredients and 1/2 cup milk to the wet mixture in a few additions and mix gently until the batter is just combined.
Step 10
Spoon or scoop the batter into the lined cups filling each about two thirds full.
Step 11
Ask an adult to place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes.
Step 12
Ask the adult to remove the tin from the oven with oven mitts and put it on the wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 13
Make the frosting by beating 1/2 cup softened butter with 2 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk until smooth.
Step 14
Pipe or spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes then add sprinkles to decorate.
Step 15
Share a photo and description of your finished frosted vanilla cupcakes on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we can't find cupcake liners, self‑rising flour, or powdered sugar?
If you don't have cupcake liners, grease the muffin tin well; if you only have self‑rising flour, use 1 1/2 cups of it and skip the 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt from the dry ingredients, and if you lack powdered sugar for the frosting, blitz granulated sugar with a little cornstarch to make a quick powdered substitute.
My cupcakes came out dense or the frosting ran off—what went wrong and how do I fix it?
Dense cupcakes usually mean you overmixed after adding the dry ingredients and milk, so mix only until just combined as directed, and if frosting is too runny, beat in more powdered sugar or chill the 1/2 cup softened butter before making the frosting so it thickens before you pipe or spread it.
How can I adapt this cupcake activity for different age groups?
Give preschoolers simple, safe jobs like washing hands, placing cupcake liners, and adding sprinkles while elementary kids measure ingredients and spoon batter under supervision, and let tweens/teens cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, pipe frosting, and handle the DIY.org photo upload with adult help for oven steps.
What are easy ways to personalize or upgrade our frosted vanilla cupcakes?
You can personalize them by stirring 1–2 tablespoons cocoa into some batter for a chocolate swirl, adding lemon zest or swapping vanilla for almond in the batter, coloring the frosting with food coloring before piping, or hollowing cooled centers to fill with jam or ganache and then decorating with different sprinkles.
Watch videos on how to bake a batch of frosted vanilla cupcakes
The Perfect Vanilla CUPCAKE With BUTTERCREAM Frosting | Masterclass Butter Icing
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The Perfect Vanilla CUPCAKE With BUTTERCREAM Frosting | Masterclass Butter Icing
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Facts about baking for kids
🥄 Baking is a science: 1 teaspoon ≈ 5 mL and 1 tablespoon ≈ 15 mL, and accurate measuring helps cupcakes turn out light and fluffy.
🔥 Cupcakes usually bake at about 350°F (175°C) for 18–22 minutes, so timing, oven mitts, and adult supervision are important for safety.
🍰 The first recorded "cupcake" recipe appears in Amelia Simmons' 1796 cookbook "American Cookery," where small cakes were baked in cups.
🍦 There are different kinds of buttercream — American buttercream is sweeter and stiffer, while Swiss and Italian buttercreams are silkier because they use cooked meringue.
🌱 Vanilla comes from an orchid and most commercial vanilla beans must be hand-pollinated, which makes vanilla a very special flavor.
How do I bake frosted vanilla cupcakes with my child?
What materials and ingredients do I need to bake frosted vanilla cupcakes with kids?
What ages is baking frosted vanilla cupcakes suitable for?
What are the benefits and safety tips for baking cupcakes with children?
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