Let’s face it: sometimes we all need a dessert that only makes two servings.
Sometimes we just can’t handle 12 servings.
Sometimes we eat them all by ourselves. Sometimes we eat them all by ourselves in two hours. Sometimes we eat them all by ourselves in a matter of minutes. Sometimes it’s the best thing ever.
FYI: I have no idea what that is like.
Haven’t you always wished you could make just enough dessert for yourself? Or yourself and one other person?
Or… just yourself?
Me too.
But more often than not, I’ve found it to be a hassle to drag out the mixer, cream the sugar and butter, sift the dry ingredients and all that fun stuff for a measly two cupcakes.
What can I say? I’m lazy.
Well, I was lazy. Until I decided to make these cupcakes for two. This is only my second or third cupcake recipe completely from scratch and completely from my own recipe development, and I am so excited with the result.
It is definitely your typical white cake; fluffy and soft, full of vanilla flavor, and the perfect vehicle for some fluffy white frosting.
And it only takes one bowl! Not creaming, no mixer, no folding… just you, a bowl and a spoon. Try not eating some of that batter. Yeah right.
I think what I love most about these cupcakes is their customizability. Mr. How Sweet and I can have different flavors of frosting or even some different fruit, nuts or chocolate chips added in our cupcakes if we’d like. Meaning that I can make mine fun and fancy and he can keep his plain and boring. Nothin’ new there.
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One Bowl Vanilla Cupcakes for Two
serves 2
1 egg white
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla (yes, a full teaspoon – they are super vanilla-y!)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 heaping teaspoon of baking powder
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with 2 liners.
In a bowl, add egg white and sugar and whisk until combined. Add in vanilla and melted butter and stir until mixed. Add flour, baking powder and salt and stir until smooth. Stir in milk. Divide batter equally between the 2 cupcake liners.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, or until cake is set. Let cool completely, then frost as desired. I used some leftover white chocolate frosting.
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I have an inkling that these “easy” cupcakes may be made nightly. Does that defeat the purpose?
I’m Jessica and this is where I share my stuff. You will find a balance of healthy recipes, comfort food and indulgent desserts.
YES! Everyone needs a cupcake (or two) every once in a while!
Great recipe, Jess! I love that it’s so easy to make! :-)
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I love single (or double) serving desserts! I’m currently working on a peanut butter chocolate lava cake for one – haven’t quite perfected it yet. These cupcakes, on the other hand, look absolutely perfect… so they will be made sometime soon.
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I think it’s a great idea! It’s so hard. Like I’ve been craving pecan pie for weeks,but know if I make a whole one I’ll eat it ALL and make myself sick as a horse. So my new goal is to make mini pies…
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I love this idea!! One jumbo cupcake would be fab too!!
Have you ever seen these jumbo tall cupcake pans and liners?
(saw them used on Cupcake Wars)…
http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Cup-Kingsize-Muffin-Pan/dp/B000NBQFUU
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Aww cute! :)
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Love this idea, Jessica!
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I love being able to find desserts that only make a couple servings. I always say I’m “making them for people at work”, but even then I end up sneaking way more sugar than I should… ;)
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Jessica has portion control?
Say it ain’t so!
Awesome idea however.
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Awww I love that these are for two!! These are so cute, I love them!
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Such a great idea. Perfect for a special anniversary celebration. I’ve definitely never eaten beyond my share of dessert in one sitting….nope that hasn’t happened ;)
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I love how beautifully simple these are. Cupcake for breakfast anyone? :)
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Cookin' Cowgirl — May 12th, 2011 @ 10:48 am
:) Right?
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These are so cute!! I love recipes like this :)
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Built in portion control! I love it, and boy do I need it since I lack self-control, lol.
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Heck yes! This is such an awesome idea. There are definitely times when I want a dessert for just me and my honey (esp. since we currently have no kids). Gorgeous pics – LOVELY papers. Utterly perfect, imo.
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a double serving is perfect!!! They look delicious! :)
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I am the queen of one bowl foods. Hand mixing, i.e. a spoon. As few dishes as possible, as little work as possible, that is me.
Beautiful food styling..the blue cake wrappers w/ the blue placemat…so pretty. They look PERFECT!
A guaranteed FG/TS accept :)
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Genius, you are. I love the idea of a quick hit of dessert! Winner!
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I love these! They are so simple and beautiful! Sometimes I only want to make just one or two cupcakes and I’m thinking tonight is going to be one of those nights!
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I like making smaller batches from time to time. Sometimes you just need a little sweet hit. I am guilty of making small batches over and over again too. These look like perfect treats!
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This is perfect! The hubby and I always crave dessert after dinner. I will be making these!
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Because every single girl needs at least two cupcakes :)
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Thank you. I love you. I live alone and I’m constantly looking for individually portioned desserts. Making them nightly is totally ok for me, I just have to have some kind of cut off point. If there are 12, I will eat 12. Only 2, well, that’s more reasonable. Same with cookie dough. I make an individual portion each night, and that’s all I eat. So what if I make it every night! At least I’m just having the one portion! :)
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Now I officially have no reason not to have cupcakes every day. Right? ;)
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Ahhh, that’s better! I think I can handle 2 cupcakes verses the baker’s dozen. Btw, hosting a giveaway on my blog today!
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What a genius idea! Thanks for the recipe!
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YUMM!! This is so perfect, i may have found a new vehicle for that “alleged” left-over Bailey’s ;D
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Jessica, this is wonderful!
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I can never handle entire batches of things, cupcakes for 2 is perfect!
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These are so cute! I love the large vanilla quantity… I’m a vanilla-a-holic (same with cinnamon) and like to add copious amounts to my recipes as well!
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make ‘em in chocolate too!!!! holy crap, this one’s going to be dangerous…
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This is a great idea Jessica! Love all your creativity :)
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Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love cupcakes but avoid making them as I could easily eat the whole dozen if I don’t immediately put them in the freezer.
This recipe looks yummy. I plan on trying it tonight…got some leftover ganace in the freezer. Now one favor, could you now develop a chocolate version?
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Jessica — March 16th, 2011 @ 9:12 am
I will try!
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these are absolutely adorable. Sometimes 12/24 cupcakes makes me feel like Im going to suffocate. These are perfect :)
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What a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing….
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What perfect timing! The mister is traveling for business this week…since I’m a single girl now, I get to make these cupcakes for me and…. ME! :)
love,
cathy b.
p.s. I must demand…where’ the sprinkles?
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Jessica — March 16th, 2011 @ 9:12 am
I know… I didn’t want them confused with funfetii cupcakes. Hahah!
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Brilliant! I’ve often tried to master the coffee mug cake for an individual serving of goodness, but it’s never turned out exactly as I’d like. The two-cupcake idea is absolutely perfect though!
I think we need some variations of the vanilla…chocolate and red velvet maybe??
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Jessica — March 16th, 2011 @ 9:12 am
I agree!
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Awesome idea and that cupcake looks so yummy and delicious. I love white cake!!
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OOOOH! I know what I’m making this weekend!
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These are so cute — and yes sometimes I want to only make 1 or 2 cupcakes so this is perfect!
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Hooray for portion control!
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So smart!
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This is brilliant. As a single person there are so many times when I want a cupcake but don’t want to make an entire dozen of them because I don’t NEED a dozen cupcakes. But two. That’s perfect!
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Cupcakes-how can you make just 2?
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This is amazing. And perfect. Whenever I make cupcakes, there are TONS AND TONS leftover and I end up eating three a day.
Do you have suggestions on how to do this with any recipe? Is it as simple as dividing the expected number by whatever number to get two – okay, that’s confusing. Ex: If it makes 16, divide all the ingredients by 8? I feel like it’s more complex than that…
Thanks! Love your blog!
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Jessica — March 16th, 2011 @ 9:42 am
I always halve and quarter recipes for us, I wrote about it here: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2010/08/baking-for-two/. I’ve never ended up with just two though.
That being said, I didn’t go off of any recipe of cut a certain recipe in half for this. I created it with just two servings in mind. For other recipes, you’d probably have to 1/8 them? I’m terrible at math, I’d never do that!
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You are a culinary genious, Jessica!
Question for you- do you spray your muffin liners with non-stick cooking spray? I made a batch of cupcakes last weekend (and didn’t spray the liners) and I couldn’t peel off the paper! I was taking them to a party, so I couldn’t have that! I threw them out and made another batch (this time spraying the liners) and they peeled off without effort. I will never make cupcakes again without spraying the liners first.
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Jessica — March 16th, 2011 @ 9:40 am
I rarely do. That is odd!
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Adorable!
I live by myself and on weekdays when no one is around and I want cake I always feel like such a glutton making like a whole cake or 12 cupcakes. I tried the whole microwave chocolate cake thing, but GAG. I’ll probably make these now when I get a craving!
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What a perfect idea!! ;-)
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I love this idea! I always have the same problem, so I can only bake something if we are going somewhere so that I can give it to other people. This is great for that baking/cake craving!
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Sheesh..how many times do you want me to tell you you’re a genius, because clearly you are. Would you believe I love vanilla even more than chocolate?
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Sounds like vanilla sugar would be awesome in these and I just bought some!
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Jessica — March 16th, 2011 @ 9:53 am
Agree!
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