This is a great recipe for a basic vanilla cupcake. I decided to take it down the raspberry road, but you can take it in any direction you would like. It's a great base to work with.
I will start off a lot of cupcakes with this recipe and use different fillings and frosting flavors to change it up. Today, I chose raspberry. I am making these for my niece, Kristyn's baby shower.  I think the ladies will love the raspberry. If there's one thing Kristyn likes, it's dessert!! Plus, with the white cake and white frosting, I can decorate them just right for the theme she is using for the shower. They will work out perfectly!!

RASPBERRY FILLED CUPCAKES WITH RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

VANILLA CUPCAKE
3  CUPS FLOUR
3  TSP BAKING POWDER
1/2  TSP SALT
1 1/2  CUPS SUGAR
2  STICKS OF BUTTER
4 LARGE EGGS
4  TSP VANILLA
1  CUP MILK

Jar of seedless raspberry preserves for filling

Always remember to have your cold ingredients at room temperature before you begin. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners of your choice.
First, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Next, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy in the bowl of a stand up mixer (or use hand mixer if your prefer) on a medium-high speed. Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time beating well after each. Add in vanilla. Alternate additions of the flour mixture and the milk until just combined. Don't forget to scrape down the bowl once or twice to make sure it is all incorporated. Fill 24 prepared cupcake liners about 3/4 full for each. Bake for 18-20 minutes or just until a toothpick comes clean and golden on top. When cool to the touch remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack and let them cool completely, about an hour.
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Step 2 - Filling the cupcake

I like to simply use a jar of seedless raspberry preserves. It almost tastes like you are biting into a jelly doughnut.....and who doesn't like them?? It is simple and will not compete with the raspberry frosting we will make for the top. It's nice when the filling is not so similar to whats on top.

So, with a knife, cut a small well into the top of the cupcake. Remove the top but don't eat them!!! Fill each with about a tablespoon or so of the preserves. Although a little more never hurts. Now put the tops back on. We do this to separate the filling from the frosting, so they don't combine, and to give the frosting some support to sit on. Saggy tops are never pretty!!

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Step 3 - Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1 STICK OF BUTTER (ROOM TEMP)
1 8OZ PACKAGE OF CREAM CHEESE (ROOM TEMP)
2 TSP RASPBERRY EXTRACT
2 TSP MILK
4..ISH... CUPS POWDERED SUGAR

First, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add in the raspberry extract and milk. Next, use 1/2 cup additions of the powdered sugar while you continue mixing until you get to the desired consistency. That's why I say 4ish. All depends of thickness and your taste. Some like it a little sweeter than others. You can also add more or less of the raspberry extract to adjust to the flavor you prefer. If you refrigerate at this point it will be a little sturdier to work with when you get ready to frost. I like to let it chill for about an hour.

I used a pastry bag with a wide round tip to frost the top, but you can decorate according to your desire.

Baby shower time!!! Now the fun part. I love looking on Pinterest to get ideas. There were so many amazing options but I wanted to stick to the theme of the shower, which is ducks!! I found these adorable ducks in Michael's that are for a boy and a girl. Since she is waiting to be surprised I did some for both. I used pink and blue pearl beads, sugar flakes and marshmallows to look like bubbles in the tub!! They were adorable...Kristyn and everyone loved them. Success!!!

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