These are pretty, right? Hot diggity dang, I think they’re precious.
In the middle of frosting these cupcakes I looked down at my hands. No big deal. I was simply looking down at the cupcake in one hand, and frosting covered knife in the other. I had to see what I was doing, right? When I looked down at this particular moment, I saw… my grandmother’s hands. There they were, the worn and wrinkled hands that had absolutely fascinated me as a child… only now spotted with powdered sugar and tinted with food coloring.
When I was a kid I would hold my grandmother’s hand in my lap and study it like it like I might study my favorite picture book. Somehow her hands weren’t at all different from reading an intricate a story.
So there I was, frosting a cupcake with my grandmother’s hands. The image was so strong that I even put down the cupcake and knife and bent my left index finger with my right hand. It ached a little. I don’t know why. And just like that… those hands were gone from me.
That was simultaneously perplexing and so comforting. I had to share that with you… I now only hope that I live long enough for my hands to be read like a story book.
Now let’s talk cupcakes!
Pretty. Pretty. Pretty. Pretty. Pretty. Pretty. Pretty. Pretty. Pretty. Pretty… right?
I’m proud of these little gems. I’m even more proud of the fact that it only took one stick (otherwise known as 8 tablespoons, 1/2 cup or 4 ounces) of butter to make both the cupcake aaaaaaaand the frosting. That’s bonkers, right? I know! Just three tablespoons of butter for the dozen cupcakes and 5 tablespoons for the buttercream. Who says you need a pound of butter for cupcakes?
Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream
adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook
makes 12 cupcakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
a scant 3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or use a handheld beater and beat on slow speed until the mixture is a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half of the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.
Whisk the egg, vanilla and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated. Scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side or the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Continue mixing until the batter is smooth. Just a few minutes. Do not overmix.
Spoon the batter into paper lined muffin tins, dividing between the 12 cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pan, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook
makes enough for 12 cupcakes, double this recipe to frost an 8-inch cake
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Beat the powdered sugar and butter together in an electric mixer fit with a paddle attachment on medium low speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixer speed to low. Combine the milk and the vanilla extract and slowly stream it into the butter and sugar mixture. Once incorporated, turn the mixer to high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes. If you find that your frosting is getting to warm in the summer months, stop beating and set in the fridge for a few minutes. Once chilled, hook the frosting back up the the mixer and beat once more until you reach the desired consistency.
meena
I am so intrigued by the proportion of butter u have used,would like to try this recipe,can i use Self raising flour,does the baking powder and baking soda ,proportion change or remains the same.
joythebaker
I wouldn’t use self rising flour, and I’m also not sure what the measurements would be for baking powder and baking soda if you did use self-rising, but it would definitely change. Maybe our good friend Google could help?
meena
thank you very much for the reply.
Lori
I just made these today, for Easter celebration with my sister and her family tomorrow. I must say this is the most beautiful frosting I have ever made! Fluffy, creamy, white and spread so wonderfully. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Frosting is usually my least favorite thing to make…but, not anymore.
kelly
Thank you so much for this recipe…I found it via a Google search for a butter cake recipe. I added two large, very ripe bananas and it was the BEST banana cupcake!
Nathalie
I made these yesterday for a friend’s birthday and they were just perfect. I went out especially for whole milk as I figured with so little butter they needed the extra fat, but I’m glad to hear people had luck with substitutions. I used salted butter (what I had on hand) and so I skipped the salt/didn’t miss where to add it in (with the rest of the dry ingredients I would assume). I divided them evenly despite my cups not being terribly full and it seems that was the right move. I also stirred some sprinkles in to the batter to make them funfetti, because, why not?
http://freddielove.tumblr.com/post/33087556721/from-joy-the-baker-with-my-own-funfetti-twist
They took about 17 minutes for me, and maybe could have used a minute less. Even so, they were divine.
I think this may be my new go-to cupcake recipe.
Alysha
I was excited about using only one stick of butter for both the batter and the frosting. However I should have read the comments before hand because the same thing happened to me. I got 10 cupcakes out of the batter and I thought they were a little underfilled in the first place. When I opened my oven all I saw was a hot, goopy mess overflowing and dripping on my oven floor. I trashed it and it was too late to make a new batch.
AnitaJoye
Thanks Joy! I made these for my daughters birthday and everyone decorated their own. Great fun and very simple.
Nicolle
Oh Joy, You save me again. I just took these cupcakes out of the oven and they look wonderful! I have a party to go to in 2 hours and I was tasked with cupcakes. I was scared, this recipe is new, creaming butter into flour for cupcakes??? I thought for a second you had lost your mind…. Also I totally wanted to 3/4 fill this cupcakes, the batter seemed thin. Listen to others comments people. Divided among 12 liners yielded near perfectly domed golden cupcakes. Thanks and happy Friday!
Zulejka
Hey Joy, I just had to tell you (again, probably) you’re amazing! Reading your blog is like talking to a friend+reading an inspiring book+flipping through a yummy cookbook!
CHARLIE
Hello there,I really like studying by means of your blog page, I desired to depart slightly comment to help you and desire you an outstanding continuation. Wishing you the right of luck for all of your running a blog attempts.
Mimi
Made these last night into about 50 teeny tiny cupcakes, baking them for 17min. at 350 degrees.
If I make them again I’d use less sugar in the cake batter—maybe 1/2 cup instead of 3/4—because the frosting is super sweet (as frosting tends to be) and I like to balance things out. Oh, and thanks to everyone who noted that the cakes rise a lot. I filled the liners about halfway, they came out perfectly.
I also want to note that this is the first buttercream frosting I’ve had any success with! It’s because I don’t have an electric mixer at home and have to whip things up by hand…everything usually turns to a grainy mess…but this recipe worked like a charm.
Overall 4/5. Thanks, Joy! Will try your other recipes for sure.
jessie
This is funny. I needed to make cupcakes in a pinch with what I had on hand, which did not include staples such as buttermilk, or more than I stick of butter. Enter: your delightful cupcake recipe. Next, enter: my stupidity and ignorant dismissal of parts of your recipe. I gave it a cursory glance and thought two things: 1. That is not much flour. 2. That is a lot of leavening. So I whipped it up and thought my third thought, 3. That is not going to be enough batter. I hate having flat little pucks for cupcakes. I’m always after a lovely dome and a beautiful lip over the edge. So I frequently overfill my cupcakes in an effort to achieve this effect and avoid the tiny flat cupcakes. So I properly overfilled them to begin with. I filled 6 cups and then made another batch to fill the remaining 12. That’s more like it. I continued to mix up the frosting, which I altered a bit, and began to smell my cupcakes earlier than expected. At the point of fragrance I took a peek to see quite a monstrous sight: Cupcake batter covering the entire muffin tin, completely disguising it as such, dripping down onto my oven liner, where it promptly burned. But I bet you saw that coming. So when they were done I thought I could try to salvage them by cutting away the excess and disguising it with frosting. That was so not happening. It was just not possible. So I made a tough and some might say, risky decision. I scooped it all out of the liners and dumped it in a bowl, what my family affectionately calls ‘cake guts’, the remains of a failed cake. Then I served it in small individual bowls, topped it with frosting and sprinkles, and put a candle in each one. Luckily it was just a casual gathering with a few friends so I could get away with such antics. It tasted great despite my many efforts to ruin it.
Also, I added another cup of powdered sugar and added half a brick of cream cheese to the frosting. Cause I’m really trying to hasten our family’s diagnosis of pre-diabetes.
Neha
I made 2 dozen of these cupcakes for my brother and his friends and they turned out FABULOUSLY!! Thank you, Joy!!!
tara
my four year old had great fun making these, they smell terrific! we added a bit of lemon zest so I hope they come out okay! thanks, favoriting this recipe!
Joy
Hi Joy, it’s Joy from Canada.
The cupcakes are in the oven right now and I must say, it smells heavenly already.
Lauren
Just wondering if I need to double the cake batter recipe for an 8 inch cake? I saw to double the frosting, but wasn’t sure about the cake…? Thanks!
erika
Thanks for this recipe. I was dying to find a simple cupcake recipe that wasn’t loaded with the heavy stuff!
Michelle
Like you, the Hummingbird Bakery rocks! Their vanilla cc recipe is just plain wonderful. Adapted the recipe I found online & used 1/4 cup low fat yogurt to replace the egg &, for the first time in my eggless baking life, I made cupcakes that were moist but light & airy & had the right sponge texture I’ve been aiming for. The tops were sunken slightly but barely noticeable. Only 6 of the cupcakes got the marshmallow glaze as my 2 little ones, hub & I had to test the other 6 for taste… just to be sure. Love your blog. Needless to say, you are an inspiration to many of us out here beyond the web.
cris saenz
I have tried several recipes for a white cake made by scratch and none of them came close to being this good! I just doubled the recipes and the frosting and baked it as a cake. The only thing I changed was adding almond extract because I love it! :) Another fabulous recipe from joy (and I have made quite a few).
Lisa @Lisa is Hungry
These cupcakes are the prettiest things ever. I want to print out a poster-size copy of this and hang it in my room, no joke. Will have to try this sometime! And wonderful frosting color to sprinkle combinations! =D
Marissa
Hi Joy, I made this today…so happy…the buttercream fosting is divine ;-). I want to make an 8-inch cake, for how long do I have to bake it and at what temp?
Thanks!
Max
Also know as: 113.6 grams of butter! (sorry, in here, The Netherlands, there are not sticks of butter, nor ounces… there are cups, but they have not worked so fine with me, so i found this link to make conversions, it works fine. I also invested in some real cup and spoon measure kit :P
Thanks so much for all these delicious recipes!
Jo
I made these the other day (I have the cookbook, the pictures make me hungry!) and I’m surprised at how little butter I used!
Saba
Joy – I love your blog and baking philosophy! Where do you get your adorable “skinny” sprinkles/jimmies? I have not been able to find ones that are thin like vermicelli. Thanks much!
Victoria
Your lovely post brought back many fond memories of my grapdmothers (as well as the recollection of at least two quaintly old-fashioned poems on the subject of a mother’s hands). Although it has been many years since I held or observed their hands, I remember them very distinctly. I had often studied their beautiful hands while they rolled out doughnut dough, arranged flowers, embroidered a pillowcase, shared a story about the “old country”….their wonderfully productive hands had a huge impact upon my life. I am eternally grateful for my grandmothers who were as different from one another as could possibly be imagined. Thank you for opening the door to a treasured reminiscence! Your blog is exquisite.
Tara
these cupcakes look great! i was looking for a basic vanilla recipe cause i wanted to use what i have on hand — just made the base and they are in the oven. i added a bit of orange zest to perk things up and licking the spoon was a very delicious experience! i’ll probably top them with a cream cheese frosting (any excuse, right?!)
vickie
i just put these in the oven….somehow i onlyh got eleven out of the batter and i used buttermilk….and i put lemon in instead of vanilla….cant make the frosting yet until i get home with some powedered sugar….can you make powdered sugar at home?
Sue from Pleasanton
Just google (or whatever search engine you prefer) “make powdered sugar”. You’ll get lots of instruction. Since confectioner’s sugar includes cornstarch, you can add 1 to 1 1/4 tablespoons of it to the measuring cup before measuring your 1 cup of granulated sugar (to make 1 cup of powdered sugar). For this recipe, you’ll need to double this. I see various recipes indicating the amount of cornstarch per cup of sugar to be 1 to 2 tablespoons. I dislike the taste of raw cornstarch, so I’d omit it. You can buy confectioners sugar at King Arthur Flour without cornstarch; they call it icing sugar, I believe. I even found a great YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAxeqNMqGCw
Have fun!
CT
These sound so great…but I just can’t get them to turn out right (granted, baking at 7000 feet probably has a lot to do with it!).
I tried them without using my electric mixer (i had a headache, and wanted cupcakes!) and they were ok, but quite sunken in the middle. The next day, I tried with the mixer, and they transformed into one giant, pulsating mess of cupcake batter, half of which ended up on my oven floor. Help! Obviously, I need to tweak the recipe, but I don’t know where to begin! Any advice??
Julie
Love the story, and can’t wait to make these. No special occasion needed right? :)
Love your blog, I just ran across it while blog hopping and I am addicted. :) Thanks Joy!
Amber
These cupcakes are beautiful yet adorable at the same time. I’m going to make them with my 4yr old this weekend. Were practicing for his 5th birthday! Thanks.
olgalopez
Yummy
Can I have one?
Iris
Dude. I made these for my kid’s 3rd birthday at daycare.
Two things:
1. The recipe is missing when to mix in the salt.
2. Make sure to mention that the cups will look like they’re not filled enough before baking. I was too generous with my portions (I never get the right number of cookies out of recipes), and they poofed out of the top, and melted into a flat cupcake mess. I had to do 2 batches, and I was already doubling the recipe for the number of kids. :(
monica
Great recipe!!! thanks for sharing! My twin 4 year old girls loved it!!!!!and my conscience was in a much better place knowing how little butter I used!!!
Marianne
Is the whole milk a requirement? I never have any on hand. How about half and half, would that be ok?
Stacy
A batch of these are in the oven right now. While your story about your grandmother touched me the first time I read the recipe, it just struck me again as I made the cupcakes using utensils gifted to me by my own grandmother who recently passed away. We had a sometimes-contentious relationship when I was growing up, and we recently became quite close through food as I helped care for her during hospice care.
Ashley
Incredibly adorable little cupcakes! I love the frosting colour choices and the sprinkles.
mharper
what a sweet memory. i wish you had taken a picture of your hand holding a cupcake. you know, like a momento for your ‘way in the future’ grandchild.
Liz
Happened about your blog a few weeks ago and have enjoyed reading your recipes as well as as your story around each recipe. This one referring to your grandmother’s hands was quite good.
I made the chocolate chip cookies a while back, so I believe I am destined to make these lovely, one stick of but-tah cupcakes, perhaps this weekend.
Monette
I just made those lovely cupcakes and It was soooooo good! Thank you.
Jen G
Simply amazing and beautiful. Both your story and the cupcakes.
I must admit that I am amazed they only took one stick of butter. A must try!
lisa
Amazing! I just made this recipe, and it is by FAR the best cupcake batter recipe EVER! thank you! :)
Jessica
Is it!? Im making it right now! It is currently in the oven and i cant wait to see how it turns out! Wish me luck!
GS
Morning Joy! I never met any of my grandparents so…thanks for the lovely story. BTW, I’m going to pick up some whole milk on my home and try these cupcakes tonight!
Siobhán
I don’t believe it… Only 1 stick of butter?! This I must try! Lovely post Joy. :)
LynneM
Very poignant. It brought a tear to my eye.
I love every one of your posts, and I’m so sorry that I can’t make the cupcake party!
stefimpossible
i made this, in cake form, this afternoon. let me tell you, it was DELICIOUS! i only had 1% milk on hand and it still came out perfectly. this will definitely be a regular in my kitchen.
Naomi
Love these. Whipped them up on Sunday – but found I didn’t have enough icing sugar. So the butter was reduced even futher in the buttercream frosting to 2 1/2 tbs. They tasted amazing, I coloured them bright blue and fed them to a bunch of 3 year olds. The resulting faces were satisfied and so messy. Thanks!
Julia
Hi! I’m commenting for the first time also. Let me first say that I love your blog. It’s a joyful space indeed. And your cupcakes are very pretty. But the story about your hands touched me the most, because I had the same experience recently. My mom gave me one of her old rings and when I put it on, I just stared at my hands for a good 5 minutes. Exactly my mom’s hands! Which is funny, because my dad and I have taken a picture of my hand on his every year on birthday since I was born. I always thought I had his hands. Thanks for sharing.
Jessica
Hi! I recently discovered your blog and have not been able to keep away! You have really gorgeous photographs, which are very inspiring! I just started my own blog and linked you as a favorite read. Hope you come by sometime!
CookiePie
Lovely lovely lovely! So pretty. And I loved the story about your grandmother!
Cheri
Oh Joy, that is so sweet about your grandmother. And, I am loving the fact that these cupcakes use such little butter. They are adorable!
Meaghan
What is a food conformist, anyway?
As ever, your blog is a treat to read and drool over. Thanks for the sunshine, Joy!
Sarah
The comment about your grandmother’s hands was so touching!!! it was a good way to start my Monday!! thanks!!
Shushmi
These cupcakes are breathtakingly beautiful! They make me want to make cakes and decorate them with cute toppings right NOW! they are so cute and fun and lovely! I love looking at your pics! :)
Ally
Oooh April – what an angry little person you must be. Why weren’t you creating your own sense of self instead of reading and posting can I ask – or is the nasty comment just directed at us and lovely Joy?
Joy – a phrase comes to mind at Aprils comment… one my mother says frequently… “the monkey’s on her back”… you keep up all the happiness and joy your bring us !! :)
Millie
Joy saves the day once again! (Er…night, in this case). I just got done making sugar cookies for my cousin and she requested “cake frosting” (by which she means buttercream) and I was looking for a good recipe. I love the colors and a little artificial coloring won’t hurt anyone! ;) Once I get my cupcake pan back from my co-worker, you can bet I’m going to be making these! =)
Kyla
less butter = more cupcakes!
I too have seen my mother’s and grandmother’s hands in my own. Perhaps the movement of hands is like a gait – impossible to change – but, since we cannot see ourselves walk we only ever see our family resemblances in hand movements (and hear it is our speech patterns!)? Either way, it is an interesting coming-of-age-ish experience.
Linda Y
shout out to joy & to cheryl
joy … we heart you!!
Tracey
Gorgeous! I absolutely love the colors you selected for the frosting. I will definitely give these a shot!
Cheryl
To all the Aprils out there, I will bask in all things JOYful. You have to love a site that as you click into it, you know your day will be better. Just the simple thoughts, sweet recipes and nostalgia gives me a smile each and everytime I click on Joy’s site that is saved in my favorites box. Keep all the sweetness coming JOY!
Aparna
Good to see cupcakes and frosting that is lower on fat. So now we can make our cupcakes and eat them. :)
Missy
I have been reading your blog for about a month now – I’m sorry I haven’t commented sooner. (btw – love the giant sugar cookies! :))
This entry moved me. I recently lost my mother and I swear I see more of her in me – like her hands – every day. Aaaaand now I’m sitting here crying. It’s cool, tears of beautiful memories.
Thanks Joy – love the blog, love your little glimpses into your life!
Tammy
I just have to say you have the BEST recipes evah!! I love you blog and quite honestly I really should quit reading it cuz it makes me so dog gone hungry and then I go bake!! Seriously you have the most delicious recipes and they’re easy and fun to make.
zak
Just moved to DC and can’t find a decent cupcake, so tonight I decided to bake my own. I added lime zest and some fresh lime juice to make them more summery instead of vanilla. They’re awesome!
megan
Pretty words!
Do you use special food coloring to get those snazzy colors?
Kerstin
Wow, I love that they only have a stick of butter! You did a great job decorating them too, I love sprinkles!!
Nicole
Oh, I totally forgot to ask. How do you like the Hummingbird Bakery book? I thought about ordering it when it first came on Amazon, but the few reviews were mixed.
joythebaker
Nicole- This is the first recipe I’ve tried from the book and I was really happy with it. The book itself is just beautiful. Give it a try!
Nicole
Seriously.
Joy, thanks for sharing your moment. And your cupcakes.
April from Carson CA.
you all are the biggest food conformists out there.
get off her nuts and create your own sense of self.
oh – and stop jocking her writing style, for she lacks
one.
joythebaker
Sweet April! Thanks for coming into this space that I’ve created to hate on both me and my readers. No… seriously.. it’s cool. Want a cupcake?
Allison
Hahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahhahahaaha
“Sweet April!”
Right on Joy!
Janet
Wow, Joy, you are one classy woman. :)
Julia @ Mélanger
Lovely story. It is funny how you start to see bits of your family (mother, grandmother etc.) in yourself. Expressed in different ways….
Heather R.
I made a batch of these incredible cupcakes this afternoon, they are devine! I love that they have less butter then most recipes but yet still taste oh so sinful!
itsworthalook
Beautiful post – Wish you were on the East Coast, I have a really neat son… Just sayin…
Drika
Lovely…..
The cupcakes(with super cute colors) and grandmothers’ hands…..
Anna
So, I definitely didn’t realize the “love” instead of “live” was a typo and just thought you were being super cute and clever. The cupcakes look great, I’ll hve to turn them into minis since I’ve yet to get a normal sized pan but I will be making these to send with my mom over to my sister in Russia (along with a batch of your chocolate chip cookies).
On another note: you inspire me so much. Hopefully one day I’ll get to be as calm, sweet, and amazing as yourself. Keep it up.
jonquil
oohh oohh! *thank you* for the buttercream recipe! it is a pet peeve that most recipes for buttercream frosting whip up enough frosting for 2 1/2 cakes (when it’s only a little 8″ 2 round tin jobbie). seriously, how much frosting is one expected to drown a cup/cake in? & such a wonderful image of your grandmother’s hands:)
southern hostess
These are so pretty!
Carsen
Who knew these cupcakes plus several glasses of wine would result in such a bad morning after..the cure is more cupcakes, right?
Casey
Pretty & perfect in every way… can’t wait to try these!
Hleure
thank you for sharing. just lovely…
theresa
These cupcakes are so pretty! I looooove that they only use one stick of butter. I might have to try this recipe with some flavor variations (and by variations I mean chocolate and chocolate).
Nurit - 1 family. friendly. food.
Not pretty. Gorgeous!
Michelle
Hi, Joy. First time for my to de-lurk and comment, but this post got me. Right in the gut. At 10:40 on Saturday morning. I’ve recently discovered, after turning 40 on July 4th, that I have my mother’s hands. I remember watching her cut fruit or potatoes as a child and intently watching her hands. Then the other day ~ BAM! ~ I was cutting bananas for my little one and I saw them Her hands. I was proud as I’m sure you are too. :) Our hands not only “love”, but they create “love” and that’s just…well…nice.
Awesome cupcakes, btw. What a great recipe for when the butter supply is running low and you need a good dessert! (Said by the lady who regularly keeps 7-10 lbs of butter in her freezer!)
Patrizia
So very beautiful, it made me think of my grandmother. <3
Great recipe.
Sara
Thanks for posting this one today! I just bought the Martha Stewart cupcake book, and was looking through there trying to find a recipe to make with my boys today (they want to make cupcakes!!!) but I didn’t want to make a ton of them cause i’ll eat them all. :0) This is a great recipe, easy enough for the kids and fun too! Perfect!!
ABowlOfMush
These are so cute!
Pete
I am sorry if I am a killjoy, but I have conserns about the coloring. I checked AmeriColor’s website, but found zero information about the ingredients. So I will have to ask you; is the color all natural?
Either or, I love your blog. Thanks!
joythebaker
Hi Pete- No. I’m afraid the color is not all natural. Sorry!
Michelle- Thanks for unlurking! Yes! There is something so lovely about looking down and seeing your mom or grandmother’s hands. So much love and trust in those hands… I’m glad you know what I’m talking about. Thanks for saying hi!
hungry dog
Lovely cupcakes! And I appreciated the story as well. Nice photos! I shall be back.
tj
…You’re so dadgum sweet! Your grandmother must be proud! :o)
…And yes those cupcakes are very pretty but seriously, have you ever met an ugly cupcake?
…Thanks for the recipe!
…Enjoy your Saturday and blessings too… :o)
Sandy
Maybe it’s the early morning tiredness starting to wear off, maybe it’s the cupcake addict in me, but your story made me a little teary eyed! I feel the same way every time I make my great grandmas oatmeal raisin cookies, like she’s there with me telling me to try the cookie dough and make sure it taste “okay”.
Great, now I want cookies and CUPCAKES!
Sagan
That’s really sweet about the hands.
Your cupcakes look delicious; I love how little butter there is in them!
Celeste
don’t forget that one stick of butter is also 113 grams ;)
hugs from europe joy!!
joythebaker
ha! Thanks Celeste!
zoe dawn
I do the exact same thing. My hands will be so stained by the time I’m my grandmother’s age! But they will be beautiful, none-the-less.
airincupcakery
Wow!
Your story reminded of my childhood time with my Nenek – I have a scar on my right thumb – a lil adventure I had with the kitchen knife, but a sweet memory of the times we spent in the kitchen together.
Love the cupcakes and I will make them! Thanks!
pigpigscorner
wow they colours are so pretty!
piccola
Snooky doodle’s right – one stick of butter equals half a cup, not a quarter. But still decent for cupcakes (esp. if, like me, you don’t like/eat frosting).
Nirvana
Aww these are so pretty! :) Happy, summery colors!
Jen @ MaplenCornbread
Oh WOW these are precious!!!! So super cute!!!! I loved how you looked down and saw your grandmothers hands. What a wonderful memory :)
Ok so the fact that you totally used just a wee bit of butter in these beauties is something else!! I must try!! :) Thanks Joy!
Victoria
Joy, you’re just awesome. And your cupcakes too!
Jamie
Really pretty and really easy! Love the recipes and I will now have to bake these gems! I know the feeling about looking at yourself and seeing your mother or grandmother…scary and moving at the same time.
Linda Y
sweet, very moving & emotionally charged…wow! how lucky to have that connection w/your grandmother…& a shout out for one stick of butter!
fried blue
I’ve always been put off by food colouring cuz they just look so unnatural to me. But if they can look this beautiful, I might have to change my mind. Well done, Joy the Baker!
snooky doodle
these are so so pretty! the colours are so nice. wow and only 3 tbl in the cupcakes. I m making these :) I think you ve got a mistake though 8 tbl are equivalent to 1/2 cup not 1/4 I think. You really touched my heart imagining you and your grandma. cause I ve done that too :)
joythebaker
dangit typos! thanks snooky doodle and memoria. blerrrrg.
Memoria
I love how your typo of “love” instead of “live” was a beautiful, Freudian slip.
Lovely photos as usual.
the projectivist
beautiful pictures
beautiful words.
x
Yolanda
“So there I was, frosting a cupcake with my grandmother’s hands. The image was so strong that I even put down the cupcake and knife and bent my left index finger with my right hand. It ached a little. I don’t know why. And just like that… those hands were gone from me. ”
Man. That was such a beautiful image. Even more beautiful than these pretty little cupcakes.
TheLuxuriousVagabond
I couldn’t seem to comment on your post for “The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting”, so my comment is a little out of context with this post’s recipe. I really wanted to thank you for posting the chocolate buttercream frosting. I had a bad experience while making buttercream once before, so I scoured the internet for the perfect buttercream. Yours caught my eye, and I’m so glad that I tried it! I couldn’t stop taking little tastes while I was icing the cake!