Whether it's nostalgia or retro rehash run amok, cupcakes have become a ubiquitous part of New York City's specialty bakeries. To me, they have seemed a curse; the creation of bandana-wrapped,tattooed pastry decorators plopping grotesque colored frostings and sprinkles garishly on top of second-rate cake batter, the end product an over-priced mauve or puke green cupcake. To put it mildly, I have not been a fan. At all!
But as I just recieved a copy of Dan Lepard's new book, Short and Sweet, and having some leftover buttercream in the fridge, I put on my apron proceeded to make his oh-so-simple recipe for vanilla cupcakes.... As of now, I'm a convert, a total cupcake maven!