A sweet send off: Two cupcake recipes

I decided to send my oven off on a sweet note by spending Sunday morning experimenting with cupcake recipes I found on other food blogs.

First, Billy's Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes from "The Cupcake Queen" at 52 Cupcakes, because I. Love. Vanilla.

Second, a slightly modified version of Bailey's Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes from Baking Bites, because Bailey's is a favorite in my family (My parents unknowingly gifted each other identical bottles for Christmas one year.) and Easter did fall awfully close to St. Patrick's Day, which I hadn't really properly celebrated yet. I used Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips instead of mini chocolate chips because that's what was in my pantry. And I topped the cupcakes with a vanilla buttercream, because I'd already made a big bowl of it for the vanilla cupcakes.

The vanilla cupcakes were dense and rich and very vanilla-y. The Bailey's cupcakes were a big hit with my family, but I'm not sure if I like mint flavor in my cake. Maybe I should have another cupcake to help me decide...