These are my first entry for Iron Cupcake London XI: Celebration. They were meant to be Butterfly White cupcakes but I didn't have the right kind of chocolate and my kitchen is now smeared with dark chocolate. I will try to make the butterflies again now that I know what I need to make them. I made the cakes before the butterflies so I decided to use some simple decoration instead.
A White Cupcake is very light and delicate. It's made with egg whites instead of whole eggs.
White Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart Cupcakes
Ingredients
3 1/4 cups sifted self-rising flour (or cake flour)
1 1/2 tbs baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tbs milk
1/2 cup plus 6 tbs butter (room temperature)
1 3/4 cups sugar
5 large egg whites at room temperature
1. Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir vanilla into milk.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until just combined after each.
3. In another bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold one third of the egg whites into batter to lighten. Gently fold in remaining whites in two batches.
4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Firmly tap tins once on counter top to release any air bubbles. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks and let cool completely.
I halved this recipe to make minis and only 1-2 teaspoons of batter fills the liners. Bake for 10 minutes.
5. I made 2 batches of almond buttercream to use between my two entries. Find recipe here. I replaced almond extract for the vanilla extract. For minis cut recipe in half.
After tasting this cake I think that a lighter frosting maybe a swiss meringue buttercream would complement the light cake a little better.
