Patriotic Cupcakes Yields 24
Recipe courtesy of marthastewart.com
CUPCAKE BATTER INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups cake flour, (not self-rising), sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 cup nonfat buttermilk
- Red sprinkles, for decorating
- White sprinkles, for decorating
- Blue sprinkles, for decorating
- Baking cups
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING INGREDIENTS:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING DIRECTIONS:
Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, soften cream cheese. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners’ sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla, and stir to combine.
CUPCAKE BATTER DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-holed muffin pans with baking cups; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and
salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until pale, light, and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract; beat until combined.
With mixer on low speed, add 1 cup reserved flour mixture; mix until combined. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk; combine. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, ending with flour, until all has been incorporated.
Fill each baking cup with 1/4 cup batter; batter should almost reach tops of cups. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer tins to a wire rack to cool.
Remove cupcakes from tins, and frost with cream-cheese frosting. If desired, use a pastry bag fitted with a plain writing tip to pipe letters or designs onto cupcakes. Decorate with red, white and blue sprinkles.