The weather has cooled, the windows are open, so, it’s time to turn the oven back on!  I woke up the other day with the urge to bake something, only to find my cupboards were fairly bare.  I’m down to the basics and only have 3 sticks of butter in the fridge (the last time I was at the supermarket it was $4.99 a pound and I refused to buy it…I know it’ll be on sale for half that soon and I’ll stock up).

But, what about now?  I’m even out of cocoa!  There’s no fruit for a pie.  I guess during the summer I let the “larder” go. As long as there’s meat for the grill, who needs anything else? Well anyway, it’ll need to be a cake.  Cupcakes! They’re more snack-like and you don’t need to dirty a plate and fork to have one (I always try to think ahead).  Hmmm, my favorite cake recipe is chocolate and I’m out of cocoa, so, let’s try to make it into a vanilla cake recipe!  If it doesn’t work, I’m out some flour, sugar and an egg…I can live with that.  (Spoiler…it worked great.)

1. Preheat oven to 350° and line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Or, you can grease and flour each cup, but let’s be serious!  Use the liners!

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Whisk the dry ingredients lightly to combine.

3. Measure the ¾ cup of milk in your measuring cup. Now add the the ¼ cup of vegetable oil, to the 1 cup line. Now add the egg and vanilla. Whisk the wet ingredients together right in the measuring cup.  I just saved you a bowl to wash!

4. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, just until combined.  Don’t overmix. The mixture will seem thin.

5. Fill each muffin cup ⅔ of the way (a scant ¼ cup). Don’t overfill.

6. Bake in the preheated over for approximately 18 minutes.  A toothpick inserted in the thickest part will come out clean.

7. Let the cupcakes cool completely. Frost with the ermine frosting, or your favorite buttercream. ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS – Ermine Frosting:

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2½ tbl. all purpose flour
• ⅛ tsp. table salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup milk
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS – Ermine Frosting:

1. Combine the sugar, flour and salt in a medium saucepan. Whish together until combined and all lumps are removed.

2. Whisk in the milk until smooth.  Set the pan over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture is thickened to a pudding-like consistency and looks translucent and the whisk leaves a trail. (Don’t turn the heat any higher or you’ll mixture will scorch and the sugar won’t dissolve correctly.)

3. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour into a heat proof bowl and cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing it down on the surface, preventing a skin from forming.  Put aside and let to cool to room temperature.  Meanwhile, take your butter out of the refrigerator to soften.

4. Once the flour mixture has completely cooled (don’t rush this or you’ll just melt the butter), beat the butter with a mixer on high speed until it is light and fluffy and has lightened in color.  This will take several minutes, while scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula.

5. Reduce the mixer to medium speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture a little at a time, waiting until each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next, until all is completely incorporated, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl a rubber spatula.

6. Stir in the vanilla extract. Gradually increase speed to medium-high and whip the frosting until it is smooth, light and fluffy.  Use as desired.