The other day, I deeply mired in crippling self-pity. I decided to bake to cheer myself up. I went with cupcakes, because cupcakes always make me happy. I didn’t have anything specific in mind, so I started poking around my various cookbooks and the internet.

I decided to go with something basic: Amy Sedaris’s vanilla cupcakes.

Amy Sedaris’ Cupcakes

1 ½ sticks of unsalted butter
1 ¾ cups of sugar

Beat well, then add:

2 large eggs
2 Teaspoons of pure vanilla
½ teaspoon of salt
2 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
2 ½ cups of flour
1 ¼ cups of milk

Beat well, fill cups, and bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes. You should get 24. I get 18, ’cause I’m doing something wrong.

(this recipe is also in I Like You; Hospitality Under the Influence)

This is a basic, but very, very tasty, vanilla cupcake.

We had a pint of fresh raspberries in the refrigerator, so I topped them off with raspberry buttercream frosting. OMG, yum. I highly recommend this frosting.

I didn’t take any photos…while the frosting came out very yummy, it was a bit on the runny side and did not make for pretty cupcakes. I am saving both of these recipes to make again!

And, when all was said and done, these cupcakes achieved their goal. There were a few shaky moments…like when my oven inexplicably jumped up 50 degrees (it does this frequently, and it’s maddening) and when I ran out of powdered sugar and had to go out for more. But it was all worth it!

(side note–does anyone know why the cupcake recipe never *actually* makes 24 cupcakes?)