- 12
Ingredients
- Ingredients:
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, but still cool
- pink food gel coloring, if desired
- Best-Ever Buttercream Icing
- Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
- 2 ounces cream cheese (I use the low fat - not no-fat) at room temperature
- 1 pound bag or box powdered sugar, more as needed. 2-3 tablespoons milk or half & half, more as needed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- a pinch of salt
Preparation
Step 1
Cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line twelve standard size cupcake cups with paper liners. I really love the greaseproof liners you can find at many stores these days. They stay bright and pretty, even after baking.
2. Lightly whisk milk, egg whites, and vanilla extract in large glass measuring cup.
3. Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric stand mixer and add butter; beating at low speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no large clumps of flour.
4. Add 3/4 of the milk mixture to the crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using a handheld mixer) for 1-1/2 minutes. Add remaining milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 20 seconds longer at low speed. Add a tiny bit of gel food coloring. Add more if needed to achieve desired hue.
Makes 12 cupcakes
Buttercream Frosting
1. Beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, (use the wire whisk attachment if you have one) stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.
2. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, add milk one tablespoon at a time till icing is soft and fluffy. Add vanilla, almond extract and a pinch of salt and beat at a low speed until incorporated, then increase to medium-high beat for another five minutes. If icing is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar, if too thick, add a bit more milk.
3. Makes enough to frost 18-24 cupcakes. You'll have more than you'll need for the 12 cupcakes. You can store any unused buttercream in the refrigerator in an airtight container; to reuse, let it come to room temperature and then return to the mixer for a minute or two before spreading.