Halloween vanilla cupcakes with swiss meringue buttercream

Vanilla cupcakes

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit if using a convection oven, otherwise 325 degrees without convection. I highly recommend using a convection oven if it’s available.
2. Combine dry ingredients with the addition of butter into the bowl of your stand mixer.
3. In a separate vessel, combine all the wet ingredients, except the water.
4. Put ingredients aside and prepare your cupcake pans with liners. Set aside.
5. Attach bowl with dry ingredients into the stand mixer and attach the paddle attachment. Start at a low speed and let the butter incorporate into your dry ingredients. This is a crucial step in achieving the perfect crumb, and also why room temperature butter works best.
6. Mixing time will vary on the temperature of your butter, but after 7-8 minutes, the dry mixture should look crumbly but fine to the touch. Butter should be totally incorporated and no large chunks should be visible. If you have any chunks of butter, keep mixing.
7. Turn your mixer on low and slowly add in the wet ingredients. Let them fully incorporate into your dry mix. Once incorporated, add the 1/4 cup of water in two increments. As soon as the water has combined, turn your mixer off. Try not to over mix at this point.
8. Divide your batter between the cupcake liners.
9. Place your cupcakes in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Before taking them out, take a toothpick and poke one of the cupcakes. If it comes out clean, your cakes are ready. If not, bake a few minutes longer.
10. Let the cupcakes cool. Once they are cool to the touch, you can fill and ice them as you would like.

Swiss meringue buttercream

1. Place a pot of water on your stove at medium heat. Water should be gently simmering.
2. Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt your mixer bowl.
3. Place bowl over double boiler and slowly but constantly whisk together until sugar dissolves and a warm syrup forms.
4. Fit your bowl onto mixer, and with the same whisk attached fitted, whisk until the mixture forms a thick and glossy meringue. You know your meringue is ready for butter when the bowl is cool to the touch.
5. Cut your butter into small cubes so it combines easily in the meringue.
6. Once the meringue has formed and cooled, turn your mixer down and slowly add once piece at a time. Add vanilla at this time and whisk until buttercream is light, fluffy, and white in colour. As butter carries a yellow colour, I recommend letting it whisk at medium speed for 5-10 minutes so it turns a beautiful cream colour.