Vanilla cupcakes are one of my favourite tea time treats. And I love a treat at tea time.

My mother used to make them plan for us when we were little. Just like this, with sprinkles on the top. As a little girl, I used to dig the cupcake to eat the sprinkles. I wonder some times whether this is where my love for all things vanilla was born. I love chocolate, but I would much rather have a vanilla sponge for my birthday - hands down.

This recipe is my mother’s. I have it stored in my brain, so forgive me if I don’t have a bakers duration for you. I usually bake them until they rise and have a golden colour on the top. One thing I can guarantee, is that you will make this recipe over and over again, because it is the most perfect, fluffy cupcake.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of stoneground flour/cake flour

150g or 2/3 cups of butter at room temperature

3/4 cups of xylitol icing sugar (You can also buy this from Woolies)

3 large eggs at room temperature

75 ml full cream milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees

2. Line a muffin tray with paper cases

3. Sift the flour three times. Very important. Don’t skip this step.

4. Cream butter and sugar until it’s fluffy and aerated.

5. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Beat for a minute at a time.

6. Add vanilla, sifted flour and lastly add your milk.

7. Whisk until there are no lumps.

8. Fill your paper cakes half full because the rise will be beautiful.

9. Bake for roughly 10-12 minutes, and test with a skewer or a knife.