Birthday Angels Food Cupcakes

DARK CHOCOLATE FILLED ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
• Sift the cake flour, cinnamon, salt and 1/3 cup powdered sugar into a bowl.
• Place the remaining 1/3 cup powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the egg whites and cream of tartar and beat on low speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes more. Pour in the vanilla and mix for 30 seconds more.
• Spoon the sifted ingredients into the egg mixture and whisk to combine.
• Spoon the batter into the lined cupcake pan, creating a heaping mound of batter in each cup. Bake the cupcakes until lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes before removing from the pan, then let cool completely.
• For the dark chocolate filling: Place the heavy whipping cream in a medium mixing bowl and whip until soft peaks are formed, 2 to 3 minutes. Melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a double boiler, then allow the chocolate to cool for 2 minutes. Scrape the chocolate into the whipped cream and whisk to form a thick ganache. Remove 1/2 cup chocolate ganache and place in a small mixing bowl. Add the cayenne pepper to this mixture and whisk it in. Place the regular and the spicy ganache into separate piping bags fitted with medium round tips.
• Use a small knife to make an X on the surface of each cooled cupcake. Pipe the regular ganache into 9 of the cupcakes, pushing the tip of the pastry bag gently into the center of each. Pipe the spicy ganache into 3 of the cupcakes in the same manner.
• For the 15-minute meringue frosting: Place the egg whites and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, and beat until foamy. Add the vanilla extract and cream of tartar and whip the mixture at medium speed until glossy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly pour in 1/2 cup boiling water. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Generously top each cupcake with the meringue frosting. Use an offset spatula to create peaks in the mounds of meringue. Top each cupcake with a red cinnamon jelly bean and serve immediately.

ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place paper baking cups in 30 -36 regular sized muffin cups.
• Beat cake mix, cornstarch, vanilla and water in extra large glass or metal bowl on low speed for 30 seconds; beat on medium speed for 3 minute.
• Fill cups 2/3-3/4 full of batter. Refrigerate remaining batter while cupcakes are baking.
• Bake 12-20 minutes or until golden brown and cracks feel dry; cool.
• Frost with your favorite frosting or fruit - I prefer fat free cool whip and cut berries but have also plucked a bit of cake out of the center filled it with strawberry jam and then made a frosting with the jam and powdered sugar.

ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper bake cups.
• Prepare batter as directed on the box. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until done.

BIRTHDAY ANGEL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners and spray the liners lightly with cooking spray.
• Sift the flour, confectioners' sugar and salt through a fine sieve into a medium bowl; stir in the sprinkles and set aside.
• Combine the egg whites in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the speed to medium-high, and continue beating until the peaks are stiff and very shiny, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
• Sprinkle 1/4 of the flour mixture over the egg whites and gently fold in with a rubber spatula. Fold in the remaining flour mixture in 3 additions.
• Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups, mounding it so it's taller than the liners. Bake until the cupcakes spring back when pressed gently with your fingertip and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. (The cupcakes can be made a day ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container.)
• For the frosting: Put the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the heavy cream and vanilla and continue to beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks. (The frosting can be made and refrigerate up to 1 hour before serving.)
• When ready to serve, top each cupcake with a generous dollop of frosting. Use the back of a spoon to swirl the frosting a little. Decorate each cupcake with some sprinkles.

ANGEL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners, and lightly coat with cooking spray.
• Sift the flour, confectioners' sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt through a fine sieve into a medium bowl; set aside.
• Combine the egg whites in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the speed to medium-high, and continue beating until the peaks are stiff and very shiny, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest. Remove the bowl from the stand.
• Sprinkle 1/4 of the flour mixture on top of the eggs, and gently fold in with a rubber spatula. Evenly fold in the remaining flour mixture in 3 additions.
• Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups in messy mounds taller than the liners, and bake until the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• For the halo decorations: Cut 12 sticks 1 inch long and about 1/8 inch thick out of the crystallized ginger. Trim the ends so they are straight across.
• Trace 12 circles on a piece of parchment with a 1-inch round cookie cutter. Turn the paper over; set aside. Fit one of the pastry bags with the tip.
• Microwave the candy coating in a small bowl, uncovered, at 40 percent power in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and completely smooth. Transfer the candy coating to the pastry bag, and pipe it into 12 circles, using the parchment template as a guide. Set aside to let harden slightly. Pipe 1 small dollop of the candy coating directly onto each circle, and push a ginger stick into each so it is standing straight up. Let the halos harden completely.
• For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a stand mixer's heatproof bowl above the water (or a large heatproof bowl if using a handheld mixer). Whisk the egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt together in the bowl; set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat the egg white mixture with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until it is cool and forms stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.
• Decorate the cupcakes: Transfer the frosting to the remaining pastry bag, and pipe generous swirls on top of each cupcake, lifting the bag up quickly to make a peak. Push the ginger stem of a halo into each, and serve right away.

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.

MY BIRTHDAY ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• NOTE~~All ingredients MUST be room temperature.
• Sift together the flour and 3/4 cup of the sugar about 3 times.
• Combine salt and egg whites and beat till foamy. Add Cream of tartar to egg whites and beat till stiff peaks form.
• Fold remaining 3/4 cup of sugar into egg whites, folding 2 tablespoons at a time till used up.
• Fold in vanilla and almond flavorings.
• Sift flour mixture in a few tablespoons at a time, folding carefully.
• Pour into angel food pan or tube pan (ungreased) and bake at 325° for 60 to 70 minutes, or till top of cake is golden brown.
• Turn pan upside down and let cool 1 hour before removing.