Birthday Cupcakes

Name: Birthday Cupcakes
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: Cupcakes; 2 cups (500 ml) cake flour; 1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder; 1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking soda; 1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt; 1/2 cup (125 ml) margarine (or butter), softened; 1 cup (250 ml) sugar; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; 2 large eggs; 1 cup (250 ml) Silk soy or almond beverage, any flavour except chocolate; Frosting; 1 cup (250 ml) margarine (or butter), softened; 2 1/4 cups (550 ml) powdered sugar, sifted; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; 2 tbsp (30 ml) Silk soy or almond beverage, any flavour except chocolate; Several drops food colouring, optional; Sprinkles, optional

Instructions

Prepare cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F ).
Line a 16-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat margarine (or butter) and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping bowl after each addition.
At low speed, beat in flour mixture alternating with Silk in three batches.
Spread batter evenly in muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full. Reserve any leftover batter for additional cupcakes.
Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean, 15-18 minutes.
Cool completely.

Prepare frosting
Beat margarine (or butter) with an electric mixer until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
With speed on low, slowly add powdered sugar. Add vanilla, Silk and food colouring, if using, and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Frost cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired.
Refrigerate.