Alzheimer’s Society run a Cupcake Day each year in June to raise much needed funds.

This year I will be taking part by baking a few dozen cupcakes and selling them at work. I have even roped in a few colleagues in the office to contribute. Everyone else will be urged, compelled or coerced into buying a cupcake or two. If you are in the vicinity of School of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham on June 15th, then please do pop by and buy a cupcake. If not, I have set up a Just Giving page, so you can still contribute – small or large, every penny counts.

If you wish to consider doing an event yourself, then check out their website for all the information you need, including how to get your hands on a fundraising pack. They even include a few recipes.

Alzheimer’s Society Cupcake Day

I will be doing chocolate and vanilla cupcakes (I don’t want to reveal just yet how I shall be decorating them). To get you started, here is my favourite vanilla cupcake recipe.

Basic Vanilla Cupcake

Print recipe

Serves

12

Ingredients

• 140g Unsalted Butter
• 140g Caster Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 140g Self-Raising Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 2-3 tablespoons Milk
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Directions

1.	Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 4 / 180°c / 350°f. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper cases.
2.	Ensure all ingredients are room temperature before starting. Cream together the butter, sugar until light, pale and fluffy
3.	Crack the eggs in a jar, ensuring no shell, and lightly beat with the vanilla extract
4.	While the mixer is on medium speed, add the eggs a little at a time, ensuring each addition is incorporated before adding the next
5.	Once all the eggs are added, mix on full speed for a couple of minutes
6.	Turn down the speed of the mixer to low, and carefully add in the flour a spoonful at a time. Stop mixing as soon as all the flour is added
7.	Stir in the milk by hand a tablespoon at a time, just enough to ensure you have a loose and easily spoonable mixture
8.	Divide the mixture between the 12 cupcake cases, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean
9.	Remove from muffin pan immediately, and transfer to a wire rack to fully cool before decorating

Note

These will freeze nicely once baked. Just ensure you defrost thoroughly before decorating.