Vanilla-White Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

My children were keen that I bake cupcakes and soon. Here's what we whipped up on this frosty, snowstormy afternoon.

• 250g butter, softened
• 250g castor sugar
• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• salt, pinch
• cream, 2-3 tbsp
• white chocolate chips, a handful
  

1. Preheat oven to 420F or 200C
2. Cream butter and sugar together till fluffy and white
3. Sift flour and baking soda into the mixture
4. Add all the other ingredients and whizz together till combined
5. Fold the white chocolate chips into the batter
   
6. Grease some paper cupcake liners in a muffin tray and drop the mixture into them, one icecream scoop at a time, till about 3/4s full
7. Bake for 13-14 mins
8. This amount yields about 24 cupcakes

For the icing:

• butter, softened, about 3/4 stick (90g)
• icing sugar, 2-3 heaped cups
• whipping cream, 2-3 tbsp
• vanilla essence, a few drops
• red gel food colouring, one drop

1. Cream all together till fluffy, thick and relatively stiff
2. Pipe into a bag with a round nozzle or jagged one and
3. Ice as you fancy. Enjoy!

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