Here are some recipes to try at home for National Cupcake Day.

Vanilla cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature

White Frosting:

• 4 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces, softened

Recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy for about 4 minutes.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to medium low; beat in half of the flour mixture, then all of the milk, then the remaining flour mixture until just combined.
• Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each three-quarters full.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes to the rack to cool completely.
• Whisk the egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) until the mixture is warm and the sugar dissolves. Remove the bowl from the pan; let cool slightly.
• Beat the egg white mixture in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form for 12 to 15 minutes.
• Beat in the butter a few pieces at a time, then continue beating until smooth.
• Top the cupcakes with the frosting.

(Recipe courtesy: foodnetwork.com)

Red velvet cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line muffin tins with paper liners.
• In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute, until light.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients alternately in 3 parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mix until combined. Stir with a rubber spatula to be sure the batter is mixed.
• Scoop the batter into the muffin cups with a 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop or large spoon.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pans
• Place the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer, and mix on medium speed just until combined. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
• Top the cupcakes with the frosting.

(Recipe courtesy: foodnetwork.com)

English fairy cakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup milk

For the icing:

• 2 strawberries, hulled
• 6 1/2 mascarpone cheese
• 4 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted

Recipe:

• Heat the oven to 180 degrees F. Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with paper cups. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the softened butter, sugar, vanilla extract and eggs, and beat with an electric beater on a low speed for 2 minutes, or until combined. Stir in the milk.
• Spoon the mixture evenly into the cupcake cups and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden and firm to the touch. A skewer inserted in the center of a cupcake should come out clean. Remove the cakes from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
• While they are cooling, make the icing. Mash the strawberries in a bowl with a fork, add the mascarpone and sifted icing sugar to the bowl, and beat with a wooden spoon until combined. Chill the mixture for about 30 minutes.
• To serve, slice off the top of each cake, then cut each top in half (to make the 'wings'). Spoon a tablespoon of strawberry icing onto the top of each cake and press in the wings. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

(Recipe courtesy: houseandgarden.com)

Peanut butter ‘pupcakes’

Even your pup can get in on the fun for Cupcake Day!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 medium banana mashed
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

For the frosting:

• 2 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 medium banana mashed
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter

Recipe:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. You can also use liners, if you want.
• Stir peanut butter, oil, banana and honey. Stir in flour, baking soda and baking powder until combined. Evenly distribute between the cups of your muffin pan. Bake 10-20 minutes, until browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
• Banana frosting: stir mashed banana and peanut butter together. Frost. Serve immediately (the frosting will brown as the cupcakes sit).
• PB Cream Cheese frosting: stir peanut butter and cream cheese. Frost. Store in refrigerator.
• Serve to your good boy/girl.

(Recipe courtesy: crazyforcrust.com)