
This is the same recipe that I used to make with Mim at the farm in school holidays. They were my Pa’s favourite. We’d always make a double batch as they’d disappear pretty quickly, that’s for sure. Such beautiful, happy memories to cherish forever.
I make these with my girls all the time and they love licking the bowl and choosing what colour icing to make. I tell them stories of Pa’s legendary lolly cupboard and of trips into the Nut Shop at The Strand Arcade to top it up. The Broughton sweet tooth lives on.




vanilla cupcakes
makes 12
175 grams of butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup of castor sugar
3 x eggs
1 x teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of self raising flour, sifted
1/2 cup of milk
For the icing
1 x tablespoon of butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 x tablespoon of milk
A few drops of food colouring
- Preheat oven to 170 °C and line a 12 hole muffin tin with patty cases.
- Add butter to a stand mixer and start to mix. Gradually pour in the sugar and ‘cream’ the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. (I scrape the sides of the bowl down twice during this process).
- Turning the speed down to low, add the eggs one at a time, mixing to combine after each addition.
- Add vanilla.
- Next, add half of the flour and half of the milk, mixing on a low speed, then repeating. Mix till combined, but don’t overmix. (You should never over mix self raising flour).
- Spoon into prepared patty cases and bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through.
- Cool cupcakes on a wire rack.
- Once completely cooled, spread icing and sprinkles over the top.
To make the icing, add the butter into the stand mixer and whip. Turning the speed down to low, add the icing sugar and milk and mix until smooth. Add a couple of drops of your preferred food colouring.
If you make these cupcakes, I’d love to know what you think of the recipe. xx