By Tracey
Funfetti Cupcakes
from Baking Bites
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Whisk the milk, egg whites, vanilla and almond extracts together in a measuring cup.
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed briefly to combine. Cut the butter into 6 pieces and add them to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until the mixture is coarse and sandy. Add milk mixture and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl and continue beating for 20-30 seconds. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the sprinkles.
Divide the batter evenly among the wells of the prepared pan – I wouldn’t fill them more than 1/2 – 2/3 full, the cupcakes rise quite a bit in the oven. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pan and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
Makes 12 cupcakes.
Quick Vanilla Buttercream
from Cook’s Illustrated
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
Stir the heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt together in a small bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. With the mixer on low, slowly add the confectioners’sugar a little at a time until it is completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then beat in the heavy cream mixture. Increase the mixer to medium speed and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
The frosting can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated. When you are ready to use it, let it come to room temperature and then beat briefly.
Makes 3 cups of frosting.
