Berries And Cream Angel Food Cupcakes

ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
• Sift together the powdered sugar and cake flour 3 times. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or in a bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt on medium high speed until foamy. Increase the speed to high and slowly add the granulated sugar 1 tablespoon at a time with the mixer running. Beat until glossy and soft peaks form. Stir in the vanilla.
• In 3 additions, sift the dry ingredients over the meringue and gently fold in after each addition. Do not overmix or meringue will deflate.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan, filling the cups all the way to the top. Bake until golden and spring back when touched, about 18 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely.
• To make the frosting, either in a stand mixer or with a hand-held mixer, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla together until smooth and creamy. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.
• Add the whipping cream to the mixer bowl (no need to clean) and beat with wire whisk attachment until thickened to soft peaks.
• Add cream cheese mixture in a few additions, and beat until smooth.
• Frost cupcakes with buttercream and top with berries.

BERRIES AND CREAM ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove upper rack in oven and place remaining rack on the very bottom.
• Using parchment paper baking cups, line your muffin pan.
• In a blender or food processor, add the sugar and blend for about 1-2 minutes until the sugar is fine.
• It is important to sift these ingredients a little bit at a time. Begin by sifting half of the sugar with the cake flour and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk by hand the egg whites, water, cream of tartar and clear vanilla, about two minutes.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed. Sift in the remaining sugar during the process. Beat until medium peaks form. Set aside your electric mixer. The rest of the cupcake batter is done by hand.
• Once you have medium peaks, add the flour mixture (dry ingredients) just a very small amount at a time, and use a spatula to gently fold the ingredients into the egg whites. Be careful and go slow, you don't want to deflate any of the fluffiness of the peaks.
• Repeat until all flour has been folded in.
• Carefully spoon the mixture into the prepared parchment cup lined pan. Fill each parchment baking cup 3/4 full.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 16-18 minutes or until the tops are slightly golden brown.
• Gently remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes or so, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. (repeat with remaining batter until all cupcake batter is used).
• To make whipped cream, pour the heavy whipping cream and the powdered sugar into a large bowl.
• Using a stand mixer, or hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment whisk cream and sugar on low (the first two or three settings) until you start to see some foam. Turn it up a little a time, gradually until you get to high speed. You want the whipped cream to form stiff peaks, so watch is carefully so you don't over whip.
• Spoon onto cooled cupcakes or use a piping bag. You can chill first, if desired.
• Top cupcakes with fresh summer berries.

ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES WITH WHIPPED CREAM AND BERRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 30 to 36 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix and water with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 1 minute. Pour batter into muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.
• Bake 12 to 20 minutes or until cupcakes are golden brown and cracks on top feel dry. Remove from muffin cups to cooling rack. Cool.
• In medium bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on medium-high speed until slightly thickened. Reduce speed; beat in granulated sugar and vanilla bean paste. Increase speed; beat mixture until stiff peaks form. Spoon whipped cream into decorating bag fitted with large star tip.
• Pipe whipped cream on top of cooled cupcakes; garnish with berries. Sprinkle tops with powdered sugar.

ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2-4 liners - this recipe makes about 14-16 cupcakes. Set aside.
• In a food processor or blender (I use this one), pulse the sugar until fine and powdery. Remove 1/2 cup and set aside to use in step 3; keep the rest inside the food processor. Add the cake flour and salt to the food processor. Pulse 5-10 times until sugar/flour/salt mixture is aerated and light.
• In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip egg whites, water, and cream of tartar together on medium low until foamy, about 1 minute. Switch to medium-high and slowly add the 1/2 cup of sugar. Whip until soft peaks form, about 5-6 minutes. See photo above for visual. Add the vanilla extract and beat just until incorporated.
• In several additions, slowly sift the flour mixture into the egg white mixture using a fine-mesh strainer, gently folding after each addition. To avoid the cupcakes from deflating or tasting dense, don't add the flour mixture all at once. Sift and very slowly fold in several additions. This is important! Spoon batter into liners, filling only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides.
• Bake the cupcakes until very lightly browned around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. For around 3 dozen mini cupcakes, bake for about 10-12 minutes, same oven temperature.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
• Spread or pipe homemade whipped cream onto cupcakes. I used a small icing spatula for some, but a Wilton 8B tip looks wonderful (see picture above!). Garnish with fresh berries.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES W/WHIPPED CREAM N/BERRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375.
• Place paper baking cup in each of 30 regular size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix and water with electric mixer on low spead 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 1 minute.
• Pour batter into muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.
• Bake 12 to 20 minutes or until cupcakes are golden brown and cracks on top feel dry.
• Remove from muffin cups to cooling rack and cool.
• In medium bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on medium high speed until slightly thickened.
• Reduce speed; beat in granulted sugar and vanilla bean paste.
• Increase speed; beat mixture until stiff peaks from.
• Spoon whipped cream into decorating bag fitted with large star tip.
• Pipe whipped cream on top of cooled cupcakes; garnish with berries.
• Sprinkle tops with powdered sugar.