Vanilla Cupcakes

     Guess the picture pretty much explains my total absence from the blogging world for the past few months.Our home is again filled with the coos of a new born,We have a new little one who's entered our life to make us complete.My hubby is thrilled,despite being clearly outnumbered ;),the big sister is very proud and excited .I am content and happy ,nothing beats the feeling of cradling a new born in your arms.Sometimes I think the day you become a mother is when you transition from being a girl to a woman.Overnight you are expected to become responsible enough to nurture and raise a tender helpless soul.Everybody around tells you that it comes naturally and it's a beautiful feeling.But nobody mentions about the fear that constantly tugs at your heart,asking you if you are doing the right thing for them.With my first one I lived the first year in a state of shock,well I was naive enough to believe that raising a child would be just like taking care of a pet :).I always thought that it'll be a breeze ,like in our movies where the heroine happily goes through her pregnancy (no discomforts at all),birthing and raising a child in one happy melodious song filled with smiling energetic faces,with no trace of sleepless nights :)I believe babies fall into two categories the easy happy ones and the not so easy,sensitive ones.And the first time mothers of both the groups do not believe that the other group exists.My first one was born a Teenager,3 months going on fifteen.She never liked to sleep(never hit the bed before 1 in the morning and it was even more dangerous if she slept by 10,cause I knew that she'd be up and playing between 2- 5 in the morning ),eat (every meal lasted at least an  hour) and was constantly bored(screamed the moment I stopped playing with her or set her down).I used to be one of those rare mothers who complained about her child,while the others looked happy and content.On the rare occasion when I happened  to meet a mother who could relate to me,we would bond in no time. I still remember the  first time I travelled to India,I very bravely decided to travel alone with my just over a year baby.Well  I ended up spending the whole journey walking up and down the aisle on the plane with the baby,because a baby screaming on the plane can get you a few sympathetic and  unpleasant looks.The walking was the only thing that pacified my little one.Walking down the aisle in a plane is just like tight rope walking ,you wouldn't want to bump on the elbows of people who are already struggling with their food and get some more angry looks :).As I walked,I noticed these babies who were sleeping peacefully on their mother's laps.I was looking at them with this bewildered look which said 'Can they really sleep like that' and the mothers were looking at me with a look which said 'Has she lost it ' :)Well the only upside to walking around was I knew exactly where the emergency fire exits on the plane were ;) Time flies , now my little girl is this beautiful, mature,loving 5 year old who I wouldn't trade for anything in this world:))I guess the baby's first baby celebrations are so special not just because it marks a major milestone in their lives,but its also a silent pat on our backs.Not that it gets any easier after that,but you are a seasoned parent now :) 

Found this funny cartoon which pretty much sums up everything :)

       Coming to this recipe,I made a bunch of these cupcakes for my daughter's Kindergarten.They are pretty easy to make and taste real yum,especially if your making a lot of them.They keep well for 3 days when stored in an airtight container.I have a lot of catching up to do,hope I get to blog more frequently :)

Makes about 6

Ingredients:

Egg - 1 large(room temperature)

All Purpose Flour - 1 cup - 100 g

Butter(At room temperature) - 85g - 1/3 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup - 100 g

Yoghurt(full fat) - 1/3 cup - 80 g

Baking Powder - 1/4 tsp

Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Vanilla essence -1/2 tsp

For the Icing:

Whole Milk - 1 tbsp

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Powderer sugar or Icing sugar - 1 and 1/4 cups

Glitter sugar or any deco stuff

Method:

-Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan.

-Sift the flour with the baking powder,salt,sugar and baking soda.

-In a bowl slightly beat the egg,4 tsp of yoghurt and the vanilla essence lightly.

-Add the butter and the remaining yoghurt and beat on low speed until everything is just mixed.Beat on medium speed for another 2 minutes.

-Add the egg mixture in two batches to the batter ,beating for 30 seconds after each addition,

-Fill 3/4th of each mold of the muffin pan with the batter and bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

-For the icing:Whisk the milk and the essence slightly.Add the sugar and whisk until it's smooth and has no lumps.

-Dip the top of the cupcake in the icing and sprinkle the decoration,wait till it dries.

Thanks for stopping by ! Have a lovely day !