Dessert: Basic Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

1 cup Vegetable Shortening
1-3/4 cup Sugar
2-1/2 cups Cake Flour
1-1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 whole Large Eggs
1 cup Buttermilk
2-1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (or The Caviar From 1 Vanilla Bean)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1-1/2 teaspoon Vinegar
Icing
1 stick Butter, Softened
1 package (8 Ounce) Cream Cheese, Softened
4 cups Sifted Powdered Sugar (more If Needed)
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (or The Caviar From 1 Vanilla Bean)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with cupcake liner papers.
Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy. Set aside.
Sift together flour and salt. Set aside.
Mix eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and vinegar in a separate bowl.
Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the shortening mixture, mixing after each addition. Mix until totally combined.
Pour batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until just done. Remove from oven, then remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely. Ice when cooled and decorate with sugar sprinkles, berries, candied ginger, etc.