Basic Vanilla Cupcakes With Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

• cupcakes
• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 1-¾ cup sugar
• 2-½ cups cake flour
• 1-¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 whole large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2-½ teaspoons vanilla extract (or the caviar from 1 vanilla bean)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-½ teaspoon vinegar
• icing
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups sifted powdered sugar (more if needed)
• ¼ teaspoons salt
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (or the caviar from 1 vanilla bean)