Queen Cake Cupcakes

Cupcake week continues....

I discovered this recipe in my grandmother’s recipe box after offering to bake a birthday cake for a close friend. The request was for a yellow cake; at the time my repertoire did not include a favorite yellow cake recipe. Finding this recipe was a happy accident; it is now one of my favorites.

The first time I baked this cake brought back memories of birthday parties at my grandmother’s house. Lots of kids from the neighborhood sitting around the table for the ‘kid’ party, and aunts, uncles, and cousins for the family party. A favorite tradition was baking foil wrapped coins in the cake. This lasted for a time, until family members started fighting for pieces with dimes instead of nickels or pennies….

I made this recipe as cupcakes this past weekend. Bill and I were going to a birthday party and he has given up chocolate for Lent. It makes a great cupcake; nice texture and good with or without frosting.

Makes approximately 20 cupcakes.

½ cup shortening (I use butter)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs unbeaten
2 cups flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
¾ cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Cream butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla in mixer.
3. Add eggs, beat until well mixed in.
4. Add flour, baking powder, and milk; mix well.
5. Fill muffin cups with scant ¼ cup batter.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean.
7. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely.
8. Frost with favorite frosting.