Almost Cake Mix Vanilla Cupcakes!

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 24
• 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup crisco shortening, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar, ground in the processor until fine (measure before processing)
• 4 large eggs
• 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract or 1/8 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups cake flour (or combined together) or 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (or combined together)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup warm half-and-half cream (this is important, warm the milk!) or 1 cup full-fat milk (this is important, warm the milk!)

Recipe

• 1 set oven to 375 degrees (will reduce oven temperature just before baking cupcakes).
• 2 line 24 muffin pans with paper cupcake liners.
• 3 in an electric mixer, cream butter and shortening until fluffy.
• 4 add in the eggs(one at a time) and the extracts and beat about 3-4 minutes on high speed (the mixture will seem to be a bit lumpy but will even out when you add in the sugar).
• 5 add in the sugar; beat well (another 3 minutes) until sugar is completely combined.
• 6 in a bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking powder.
• 7 blend into the creamed ingredients, along with the warm milk until smooth (about 3 minutes).
• 8 fill the prepared pans about two-thirds full.
• 9 immediately, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• 10 place the cupcakes in oven, and bake for about 20-24 minutes, or until the cupcakes test done.