Basic Cupcake Recipe

1 Preheat the oven to 350F.
2 Add liners to a 12 cup cupcake pan. Set aside.
3 Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together. (If you are using a variation you'll mix the dry ingredients except sugar in now.)
4 Add the butter to your mixer and beat on high until the butter is light and fluffy.
5 Add the sugar and beat until the sugar is well mixed in.(this is where you'll add brown sugar if you are using it instead)
6 Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
7 Add the vanilla.(Or any other flavoring)
8 Add 1/3 of the flour and beat until smooth with the mixer on low.
9 add 1/2 of the milk (or buttermilk) and mix until smooth.
10 Repeat with the flour, then the milk, then finish with the remaining flour.
11 If you are adding ingredients like nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit stir it in by hand now.
12 Spoon into the cupcake cups filling them halfway up with batter.
13 Bake for 18-[timer minutes=0] 20 minutes[/timer] or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean - with only a few crumbs sticking to it.
14 Cool completely before frosting or filling.