Makes 12 Cupcakes
Cupcakes by Elinor Klivans
What you’ll need.
- 1 1/3 cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons of milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tarter
Directions:
1. Preheat heat the oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin tin cups
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside
3. Add the vanilla and almond to the milk, set aside
4. In another bowl with an electric mixer or a kitchen aid with the paddle attachment , beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy
5. On low speed alternate flour and milk mixing just until combined, set aside.
6. In yet another bowl, combine the whites and cream of tarter and beat until light and foamy. Then switch to a higher speed and beat until soft peaks start to form.
7. Using a rubber spatula, fold ½ of the egg whites into the batter, followed by the remaining half until no streaks remain.
8. Fill each liner about ¾ full. Bake just until the tops become firm and they bounce back if you touch the tops. They will be just barely brown on the top.
Simplified
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Alternate adding the dries (Flour, baking powder, salt) and the wets (Milk, extracts) mixing just until combined, set aside.
In another larger bowl whisk the cream of tarter and eggs whites until soft peaks form. In two parts fold the whites into the batter until no streaks remain.
Fill each tin about 3/4 of the way full and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Just until the tops are firm and light brown. Don’t worry if they shrink when they come out of the oven, mine did.
Frosting
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tarter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- shredded sweetened coconut
1. Make a double boiler
2. Put the sugar, water, whites and cream of tarter in a heatproof bowl
3. With the electric mixer beat for about a minute until mixture becomes foamy
4. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. The pot should not be touching the water.
5. Beat mixture on high until the frosting forms a medium peak when you lift the beaters up. If you have a thermometer it should register at 160 F
6. Remove from the water and add extracts.
7. Continue beating for 2 minutes to thicken frosting.
Simplified
Fill a pot of water and bring it to a simmer.
Place all ingredients except the extracts into a heatproof bowl and whisk until foamy. Then set the bowl on top of the pot of water, make sure the water is not touch the bowl. Beat on medium speed until the frosting forms a peak that stands straight up if you stop the beater and lift them up.
The book says about 7 minutes, mine took 5. Pull the bowl off the heat and add the extracts, continue beating until the frosting thickens and is cooled.
Assembly
Place the coconut into a bowl. Hold the cupcake, with a small metal spatula frost the tops of the cupcake then carefully dip them into the coconut.
Serve the same day or carefully cover and keep in the fridge for up to three days.
