Updated

New Yorkers wait in line for her cupcakes! But now you can enjoy them in your own home when Allysa Torey, owner of the Magnolia Bakery and author of "More From Magnolia," drops by the studio:

• Vanilla Cupcakes
Yield: Two dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:
11/2 cups self-rising flour    
11/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened   
1 cup milk
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. At the bakery we ice the cupcakes with either Vanilla Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream.

• Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
Makes enough for two dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
6-8 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.