White Cupcakes with Ermine Frosting
White Cupcakes with Ermine Frosting (Yields 12 Cupcakes)
Ingredients
CUPCAKES
*1 1/4 cups flour *1/8 tsp. baking soda *1/2 + 1/8 tsp. baking powder *pinch of salt *1/2 cup + 6 tbsp. sugar *5 tbsp. (70g) butter melted *1/2 cup buttermilk (1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar) *1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil *1/2 + 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract *3 egg whites room temp.
CREAM
*2 1/4 tbsp. flour *pinch of salt *1/2 cup milk *1/2 cup sugar *115g room-temp. butter *1/2 tsp. vanilla
Steps
CUPCAKES
1. Line your muffin tin with liners.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar. Give it a good whisk.
3. In another bowl whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and 1 1/2 of the egg whites.
4. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients. Fold with a spatula just until incorporated.
Preheat your oven at this point to 177 degrees C.
5. Beat the remaining 1 1/2 egg whites with a hand-mixer until foamy. Add the 6 tbsp. sugar and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form.
6. With a spatula fold in half of the meringue into the batter. Fold in the rest of the meringue only until incorporated.
7. Divide the batter between the 12 muffin holes.
8. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. However, make sure the top does not brown too much but turns golden ever so slightly.
CREAM
1. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together flour, salt, milk, and sugar. Continue whisking and heating until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency.
2. Cool the pudding-like mixture completely. Add butter a little at a time, beating well with a hand mixer after each addition.
3. Add the vanilla extract and beat. The finished mixture should be a light and fluffy frosting.
4. Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe swirls on the cooled cupcakes.
Enjoy!