Want something healthy to bake for your love one this Love Month? Why don't you try making vanilla cupcakes?

Classic Vanilla Cupcake

Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 3/4 to 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup cold milk

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F; line muffin cups with papers.
2. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
3. Stir in vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl, stir together all dry ingredients.
5. Add butter to mixture and stir in milk.
6. Divide evenly among pans and bake for 18-24 minutes.
7. Let it cool after baking.

The recipe can make up to 12 cupcakes.

Health benefits of Vanilla
 Vanilla beans are one of the expensive non-pungent spices especially used as flavoring agent in a wide array of sweet-drinks and confectionaries.
 Vanilla extract composed of simple and complex sugars, essential oils, vitamins and minerals.
 The chief chemical component in the beans is vanillin. They also include numerous traces of other constituents such as eugenol, caproic acid, phenoles, phenol ether, alcohols, carbonyl compounds, acids, ester, lactones, aliphatic and aromatic carbohydrates and vitispiranes.
 Ancient Mayans believed that vanilla drink was supposed to have aphrodisiac qualities. No modern research study, however, establishes its role in the treatment of sexual dysfunctions.
 Its extract contains small amounts of B-complex groups of vitamins such as niacin, pantothenic acid, thiamin, riboflavin and vitamin B-6. These vitamins help in enzyme synthesis, nervous system function and regulating body metabolism.
 This spice also contains small traces of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron and zinc. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese and copper are used by the body as co-factors for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron is essential for red blood cell production and as a co-factor for cytochrome-oxidases enzymes.

If you're tired or too busy to bake, you can buy your vanilla cupcakes at your trusted local bakeries. The cupcake in the photo is from Madge Café at Iloilo. Perfect to partner for your coffee too!

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photo by Antoine Greg from his food blog: Café Ilonggo
source/reference: cooks.com | food.com | nutrition-and-you.com