Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream

1. 1Heat the oven to 170°C fan and line a 12-hole tin with cases.
2. 2Put the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixer and beat on low while dropping in the cubes of soft butter. Keep going for 2 minutes until it looks like damp sand with no loose flour left. Coating the flour in fat first is what limits gluten and gives the fine crumb.
3. 3Whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla together, then pour half into the bowl and beat on medium for 1 minute — the batter will lighten and thicken visibly.
4. 4Add the rest in two goes, beating just 20 seconds after each and scraping the bowl. Stop the moment it is smooth.
5. 5Divide between the cases, filling each about two-thirds. An ice cream scoop makes them even, and even cases bake in the same time.
6. 6Bake for 18–20 minutes, until the tops spring back and a skewer comes out with a crumb or two. Domed, cracked tops mean the oven was too hot.
7. 7Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then on a rack completely. Buttercream on a warm cupcake slides straight off.
8. 8For the buttercream, beat the butter alone for 5 full minutes until very pale, then add the icing sugar in three additions, then the milk, vanilla and salt. Beat another 3 minutes. That long beating is what makes it light rather than merely sweet.

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