Try a New Recipe Thursdays - Birthday Edition

Happy Birthday to me today. Next time you're celebrating a birthday, try these Classic Vanilla Cupcakes. Yum.

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening softened

2 cups sugar

4 extra large eggs (l cup eggs)

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 drops lemon and almond extract (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 1/2 cups milk

Line two twelve-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Blend butter with shortening until light and fluffy. Add in sugar and beat well. Add in eggs and extracts. Mix dry ingredients together and fold into batter, alternating with milk. Blend on slow speed to combine, scraping down bowl sides and bottom often. Blend until smooth, about 3 minutes. Fill cupcake liners two-thirds to almost full. Place in oven, immediately reducing heat to 350 degrees F. Bake until cupcakes test done (tops should gently spring back when touched), about 20-24 minutes depending on size of cupcakes. Approximately 24 medium cupcakes - 36 smaller cakes.