Make-Your-Own Cupcakes

Make-Your-Own Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes

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Ingredients
For the Vanilla Cupcakes:

1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk, at room temperature
For the Cream Cheese Icing:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Toppings:

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles
1 cup blueberry compote or other chopped fresh fruit
1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin and line each cup with a paper or foil liner.

Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder and the salt. Add 1/3 of this mixture to the butter-sugar-egg mixture and beat together. Now add half of the milk and beat that in. Repeat with 1/3 more of the flour mixture, then the remaining milk, then the last 1/3 of the flour.

Divide the batter evenly among the cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. When you lightly push on the cupcakes, they should easily bounce back. Cool completely.

To make the icing, beat together all the ingredients with an electric mixer until completely combined and very creamy. You can make this ahead and store in the fridge, but be sure the icing has been at room temperature for 1-2 hours before you try to ice the cupcakes.

Arrange the toppings in small bowls. Place lots of butter knives in the icing bowl, and arrange the cupcakes on a plate. Let guests get creative!