Candy Corn Cupcakes
Candy Corn Cupcakes By Amy Atlas
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 and 1/4 cups cake flour
1 and 3/4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
For the frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into chunks and softened
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions:
1. For the cupcakes: Adjust oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.
3. Whisk the milk, egg whites, and extracts together in a small bowl.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
5. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat the butter, one piece at a time, into the flour mixture, about 30 seconds. Continue to beat the mixture until it resembles moist crumbs, 1 to 3 minutes.
6. Beat in all but 1/2 cup of the milk mixture, then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter until smooth, light, and fluffy, 1 to 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly beat in the remaining 1/2 cup of the milk mixture until the batter looks slightly curdled, about 15 seconds.
7. Use a greased 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour the batter evenly into the cupcake liners.
8. Bake the cupcakes, switching and rotating the pans halfway through baking, for a total of 15-20 minutes. (Mine took about 20 minutes total).
9. Let the cupcakes cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. For the frosting: Beat the butter, cream, vanilla, and salt together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
11. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, and beat until incorporated and smooth, 4 to 6 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, 5 to 10 minutes.
12. Divide the frosting into three bowls and tint each with desired food coloring tint.
13. Using your pastry bag and desired tip, pipe the frosting in a cone-shape on the cupcakes…and voila!
Source: America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book.