Sugar Cookie Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Friday was my daughter’s 13th birthday. I like to refer to this year as “Juliet the 13th.” Yes, just like the horror movie. 😉 In honor of her, I decided to make these cupcakes and frost them with vanilla and chocolate buttercream and decorate them with blue topaz sanding sugar to represent her December birthstone.

As I was piping on the icing, I noticed it resembled a rose, which is wonderful, since it’s her middle name. So, these are pretty much perfect for my girl.

This recipe is wonderful. It’s basically a sugar cookie batter with some added milk to get the consistency of a cupcake batter. And it really does taste like a sugar cookie. Normally I change things up a little, but this one, I went directly by the recipe that I found here: http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/2114641-Sugar-Cookie-Cupcakes.

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 3 tsp  (1 Tbsp) baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line a muffin pan with 24 liners. This should make 24, unless, like me, you eat one’s worth of the batter raw.

I love these brown liners! So pretty and they retain their color when baked.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until creamy smooth.

Add in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Add in vanilla. Mix on low speed.

Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Finally, add the milk and mix until smooth. Spoon into paper-lined muffin pans

Cook until cooked through, about 22 minutes and let them cool on a rack.

When ready, frost with Basic Buttercream or Basic Chocolate Buttercream or any frosting of your choice, and decorate as desired.