Vanilla Bean 'Hand'cakes with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

Do I have to say much I enjoy TJ Maxx with the Home Goods store in it? Pretty much TJ Maxx and Marshalls has decorated my house but also my kitchen – along with cooking utensil and items. One of my latest finds is whole Madagascar vanilla beans – 2 for $4. You bet your ass I grabbed all four remaining vials off the shelf. I scrambled for a good recipe using the beans in a ‘hand’cake. Now I’m sure everyone has had vanilla cupcakes in their life – but have you had real vanilla bean  ‘hand’cake with vanilla bean frosting?? I bet most of you are responding no. So for those who haven’t or those that are able to get your hands on vanilla beans, enjoy and try not to lick the batter out of the bowl at the end.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cups sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoons baking powder

pinch teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

1. Preheat oven to 360. Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined. 3. Measure the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine. 4. Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine. Scrape out the vanilla bean seeds into the milk and stir. 5. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk vanilla bean mixture and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry. 6. Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 2/3’s full. Bake cupcakes for about 22minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. They turn golden brown early so make sure you test it and not go by color. Makes about 14 handcakes.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened

½ of a 8oz pack of cream cheese, softened

1 whole vanilla bean, split open with a knife and vanilla beans scraped out

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-4 cups confectioner sugar (I try and use as little as I can, but making sure it's pipeable)

Cream butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until texture is uniform. Add 2 cups of confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until sugar is all incorporated. Add 2 more cups and again mix on low speed until sugar is all incorporated. Add scraped vanilla beans and mix on medium speed for several minutes, occasionally scraping down sides. For creamy frosting (this one) I used the paddle attachment and not the whisk one so not a lot of air got into it.