Classic Birthday Cake Cupackes

Classic Birthday Cake Cupcakes

With my last cupcake, I went the chocolate route, but today I decided that I'll go on the other end of the spectrum and go with the vanilla. This recipe is used for cakes, but I used the batter to instead make some sing serve cupcakes. On page 206 of the book "The Williams-Sonoma Baking Book, the Essential Recipe Collection for Today's Home Baker", the recipe calls for:

• 2 3/4 cups of all-purpose (plain) flour
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• Vanilla frosting

Recipe for Vanilla frosting:

• 1 cup room-temperature unsalted butter
• 4 cups confectioners' (icing) sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy (double) cream
• 2 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Flour Mixture

Firstly, I whisked together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended. In another bowl, I used an electrical mixer to beat the butter until smooth, but I over beat the butter which caused the cupcakes to turn out spongy in the end, so a piece of advice is to make sure you beat on medium speed and stop sooner rather than later. I then slowly added in the sugar and continue beating until well blended 

Batter

and fluffy. After, I added the eggs one at a time and beat well after each egg. I then beat in the vanilla followed by the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk in two additions, and beat on low speed. 

Cupcakes baking

After I beat the mixture well, I poured 
the batter in the cupcake tins and pop
them into the oven for about 15-20, or until the toothpick I put in the 
cupcake comes out clean. I let them cool for 5 minutes before I started making the vanilla frosting. 

Cupcakes out of the oven

Frosting

I put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat it until well mixed and fluffy. I put the frosting into a pastry bag and piped the frosting onto the cupcakes. 

Piping out frosting onto
cupcake

 In the end, I think           there was too much   butter needed, so I advise if you are   making these cupcakes, you use less   butter than required. These cupcakes   were good, as are any cupcake, but I   would not use this recipe again or retry after I have more experience baking. 

If you have ever made any cupcakes, have you ever made any mistakes during the process? Or if you haven't baked any cupcakes yet, do you plan to? What flavor?