Vanilla Bug Cakes

• Cake:
• 1 1/ 4 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/ 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/ 2 teaspoon salt
• 1/ 2 cup butter, melted
• 1/ 2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Optional Buttercream Frosting:
• 1/ 2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/ 2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons milk
• food coloring
• optional: sprinkles for decorating

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease pan with baking spray or butter and dust with flour; set aside. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In medium bowl, combine melted butter, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla; mix until well blended. Add sour cream mixture to flour mixture and blend on low speed, scraping bowl often. Beat on medium speed 1 minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles.  Carefully spoon batter into pan, dividing evenly among cups. Spread batter out to top edges of each cup, so batter is lower in the center. Bake at 350°F for 18-24 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan; invert cakes onto cooling rack and cool completely.

If you plan to decorate cakes, prepare buttercream frosting. In large bowl, combine vegetable shortening, butter and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, scraping bowl often. Add milk, beating on medium speed, until light and fluffy; color frosting as desired. Decorate with assorted sprinkles if desired.  Makes 8 cakes.