Old-Fashioned Cupcakes

Everyone loves cupcakes and I am a sucker for homemade. You can decorate them any way you want, using this basic, easy recipe.

1 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Old Fashioned Frosting, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
Combine in a bowl both flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until combined for about 3 minutes. Add in cubed butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
Add eggs 1 at a time until combined. Slowly add milk and vanilla to batter until completely mixed scraping down the bowl as you mix.
Scoop batter into baking cups filling about 2/3 full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
Cool and decorate with Old Fashioned Frosting.

Old-Fashioned Frosting:

2 sticks butter, room temperature
8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or other flavoring

Cream softened butter and add 4 cups sugar, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Gradually add the rest of sugar to reach frosting consistency*.
*If frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, add a capful of milk.