Recipe Sunday: Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes with a Chocolate Baileys Buttercream

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: There is no such thing of making too much buttercream

Since Hurricane Irene decided to show up like a horrible party guest, it subdued any plans I had of Epic Om Nomzing and hindered any trip to Laudree, I did what anybody else would do if stuck in the house: re-watch the first season of Community and bake and cook. This is a bit of throw back recipe of something I made for a friend’s birthday. As much as I like making an epic layer cake, I decided to make cupcakes because:
 1. easier to transport
2. I was short on time and cupcakes can be made from start to finish within a hour
3. She likes cupcakes. Win situation for me

I decided to go with a recipe I jacked from Baking Bites blog that is great for ideas and recipes, or in my case, perfect for wasting time and reading at work. Buttermilk pretty much ensures the cake staying moist even if you freeze it and defrost it. I topped it with a chocolate buttercream that was spiked with Baileys because the addition of booze never hurts. From the Baked: Explorations I was inspired to throw on some burnt sugar shards that would be a nice crunch and also for people to be like, “whoa” and I comepletely admit it is not really necessary but a nice shits and giggles factor.
I admit, for anyone that enjoys baking sometimes when you are making stuff for others, you step your game up a bit for the ego boost of people being impressed and be like, “dude, how did you do that?” and you suavely responding in the most Cool Hand Luke response, “ehh, it was nothing” and these cupcakes will most definitely get you the response that you want. Also girls like guys that can make cupcakes, GAME CHANGER.

Adapted from BakingBites.com

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
¼ cup butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ tsp almond extract
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350F. Place liners in a 12 cup muffin tin.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until it looks creamy. Beat in the egg and the vanilla and almond extracts until mixture is smooth.
Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until almost combined. Add buttermilk and stir, again, until almost combined. Add the rest of the flour and stir until all ingredients are mixed in.
Divide batter evenly into muffin cups.
Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350F, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Let cupcakes cool for 10 minutes and then remove from the muffin pan. Cool completely before frosting.
Makes 12 cupcakes

Chocolate Baileys Buttercream

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
• 3-4 tablespoons of Baileys

Note** the Lush version is ditch the addition of milk or heavy cream and just add more Bailey

Cream butter until fluffy, then sift cocoa into the mixing bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Slowly add in the confectioner the sugar until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and Baileys until smooth and all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Refrigerate for at least 20-30 minutes for easier piping and not having a mess of sloppy buttercream all over the place.