It was a play date that was pre-arranged some weeks ago. 

Huiling knew that we haven't been to church for quite a while and asked to meet up and give Baby some exposure to her daughter's youth group activity.

I wanted to make some cupcakes for Huiling's family but the under-utilised oven conked out on me when I was getting the ingredients ready.

After checking with Huiling that she had a seldom-used oven (too) but did not have a mixer, I decided to make 3 batters (1 for icing and 2 for cupcakes from different bloggers' recipes) before heading over.

The girls, like usual, were a bit shy at first when they first met up. After a quick snack of sushi, they went online for the youth group activity, which was a bible study.

While the girls were listening in, Huiling and I baked the cupcakes. Pleased that they turned out well.

Recipe from: A Lazy Girl's Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

After the lengthy youth group session (2.5h!), the girls were all excited to do the icing. 

It had been some time since Cadence laughed so heartily.

Icing recipe from: Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Huiling's husband was highly inspired by Twelve Cupcakes. 

He took out different ingredients to ask his daughter to try eg. raspberries and cornflakes.

We had a great time spending time with one another even though we didn't do much. Friendships become more precious as you age. It was just a day shy of the soft lock-down. Like it was meant to be.

Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 stick butter (1/2 cup), room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour/cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup milk

Instructions

1. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat together eggs and granulated sugar. Once combined, add softened butter and vanilla. Mix until creamy.
3. In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Alternating with the milk, add dry ingredients to egg and sugar mixture in three equal increments. Mix well, but only until incorporated. Do not over-mix.
5. Scoop cupcake batter into the lined muffin pan, filling each cavity about 2/3rds of the way. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked through the center.
6. Remove your tasty, easy vanilla cupcakes from the oven and let sit for about 2 minutes. Remove each cake from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
7. NOTE: if making mini cupcakes, please reduce the baking time to 12-15 minutes.

VANILLA FROSTING

• 1/2 cup (112g) salted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (95g) shortening
• 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2–3 tbsp (30-45ml) water or milk
• Instructions
• 1. To make the frosting, combine the butter and shortening in a large mixer bowl and mix until smooth.
  2. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  3. Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of water or milk and mix until smooth.
  4. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  5. Add remaining water or milk as needed and mix until smooth.
  6. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.