Vanilla Cupcakes & Vanilla Frosting

I've recently relocated to Brooklyn, NY and wanted my first post here to be something basic but still fun. What is more fun than cupcakes? What is more basic than vanilla? I didn't feel like running to the store (a block away!) and wanted to make something with what I had at home. This is what I found, I've never cooked anything by Martha Stewart before and figured I can rely on her taste in cake. The woman does have her own show, line of home products, and a criminal record, she knows a thing or two, right? Maybe its the fact that I was so lazy to go buy milk and white sugar and replaced the two with half & half and brown sugar, but these cupcakes weren't quite what I was looking for. Then again, when you're as picky as I am and know exactly what it is you do and don't like, being too lazy to get the right ingredients is foolishness and most likely isn't going to yield the desired results!

They were fun to make and a bit nerve wracking to monitor with two curious cats sauntering about. My sister was helpful in keeping them away and reading the recipe to me, as there is no space for my laptop in this apartment kitchen. I'm sure I'll adjust soon enough, there is much more to come.

Alas, I give you the pictures!

 

The luxury of my parent's Kitchen Aid is over, now I rely on the food processor my brother gave me!

The recipe says to mix the dry into the wet ingredients, changes were made due to limited space in my mini food processor.

 

 

The day I don't make a mess with confectioners' sugar, I will dedicate a post to just that.

These were originally cooling in another room, had they been out in the kitchen, the cats would have found their own way of decorating.

 

This too needed to be put away, out of the food processor and into a sealed container!

 

 

My orange "cat" is really special.

 

I don't usually decorate with gel, but the blue is so cute.

 

 

Chomp!