Is a cupcake a muffin if there is no frosting?

Absolutely not...a cupcake is a cupcake and a muffin is a muffin. My charming husband tried to argue the fact that is there is not icing on a cupcake then it is in fact a muffin.... I think not sweetheart!


The only reason this was a discussion in our house this weekend was because yours truly got bit by the baking bug and there was just no stopping me.


Labor day weekend didn't turn out like anything I had planned but I still managed to whip up the spinach dip for dinner one night and made cupcakes with butter cream frosting.


As I was thumbing through my binder of recipes that I have pulled over various years I came across a recipe for butter cream. I was stoked.


You see....for my wedding I (like most women) registered for the Kitchenaid stand mixer. That was almost 2 years ago that I received it and brace yourselves....I HAVE NEVER USED IT! I know I'm hanging my head in shame too!


When I came across the butter cream recipe I thought to myself...perfect, I can finally break out the Kitchenaid!


Now, I am fully aware that butter cream is called butter cream for a reason...the base is butter but Never had I had butter cream that tasted like I literally whipped up some butter and schmered it on top of a cake/cupcake. Way to buttery!


I followed the directions carefully. The recipe said that it was more about the technique than the actually ingredients so I whipped (well my lovely kitchenaid whipped..I stood in amazement) that butter for a solid 10 minutes. I then added other ingredients and whipped some more.


Frosting was done (according to the directions) so I stuck my finer in the bowl to get a taste. Ummmm....did I forget something because it tastes like there is nothing else but butter in that bowl. So I add more confectioners sugar in there...still to buttery.....add a little vanilla....still not right....add sugar crystals.....Nope!


Anyway, it was a good think that I only frosted a few of the 24 cupcakes because that adorable husband of mine took one bite and pleasantly declined to eat the rest.


What does it boil down too:


If you have grown up in Florida then you must be crazy if you have never had Publix cake with butter cream. CRAZY, i tell you! I don't know what in the world there secret ingredient is but Lord....its just downright amazing.....ah-may-zing!


Which leads to the fact that I indeed have NEVER had really made from scratch butter cream. The horror, I know. So the only butter cream I know is Publix butter cream.

Needless to say....the recipe I followed left alot to be desired.

Do you have a recipe for butter cream that your willing to share? Do you think it is all about the technique or the recipe?

Cheers,
eLp