Simple Yet Sweet Valentine Cupcakes

Valentine Hearts Cupcake

Love is in the air at Fancy Flours and we think these heart cupcakes are just too adorable! They are simple yet sweet.

WHAT YOU NEED: 

- Your favorite cupcake recipe or Pink Velvet Cupcake Recipe found at www.lovefromtheoven.com
- Creaming White Icing Recipe, see below
- White Cupcake Liners or any other Valentine color, see below
- Heart Sprinkles, see below
- Pink Sparkling Sugar, see below

MAKING PINK VELVET CUPCAKES: Recipe found at www.lovefromtheoven.com. Great place to find recipes!

- 1 cup of butter softened
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- Pink food coloring
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Once light and fluffy add your pink food coloring. Start with a small amount and increase to reach your desired shade of pink. Blend well with butter and sugar.

2. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in vanilla and beat well.

3. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the batter and beat until well combined. Add in 1/2 of the butter milk, beat until combined, followed by another 1/3 of the dry, then the remaining buttermilk and finally the remaining dry ingredients. The batter may look a bit lumpy after buttermilk is first added, but beat well and it will combine nicely.

4. Fill paper lined muffin cups two-thirds full and bake at 350 degrees for approx 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Watch the cupcakes closely in the last few minutes of baking so that they do not over brown. Allow to cool for ten minutes before removing from pan, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

MAKING THE ICING:

- 1 cup shortening
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract, orange extract, or almond extract
- 4-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
- Food coloring, optional

1. Beat shortening, vanilla, and extract with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Slowly add half of the powdered sugar, beating well. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk.
2. Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar and enough of the remaining milk to reach spreading consistency. Tint with food coloring if you choose. Makes about 3 cups of frosting.

THE FUN CUPCAKE ACCESSORIES: 

The cupcake shown above was made in just a plain white cupcake liner, but pink would be an extra cute touch! Our new Valentine Cupcake Liner collection would be perfect.

Top the cupcake with Jumbo Heart Sprinkles!

And finish with a little bit of pink sparkling sugar.