Citrus Cupcakes With White Chocolate Frosting Food

KEY LIME COCONUT CUPCAKES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, key lime zest and juice and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 5 parts total, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold the coconut into the cupcake batter.
• Line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each liner almost to the top with batter. A spring loaded 1/4 cup ice cream scoop works great for this and ensures the cupcakes are all the same size. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer cupcakes to a baking rack to cool completely.
• While the cupcakes are cooling you can make the frosting. In a small heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, carefully and slowly melt the white chocolate. Remove from heat and let cool until just slightly warm. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until well combined. Add the salt, vanilla extract, key lime juice, and sour cream and mix until very smooth. Add the melted white chocolate and mix just until incorporated.
• Frost the cupcakes and garnish with a bit of grated key lime zest. Enjoy!
• A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe and therefore, we cannot make representation as to the results.

CRANBERRY CUPCAKES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in orange zest and vanilla extract. Add in 1/2 the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Add buttermilk and heavy cream, mixing until just combined. Mix in remaining flour mixture until just combined. Batter will be thick.
• Fold 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter until incorporated. Fold in remaining egg whites until no streaks of egg white remain. Fold in chopped cranberries. Spoon batter evenly into each prepared cupcake liner, filling each liner about 7/8 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cupcakes spring back lightly when touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat butter in a bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until completely smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Add powdered sugar and salt, and beat until smooth and well combined, another 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in melted white chocolate and beat until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in heavy cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until frosting is smooth, light, and fluffy, 2 to 3 more minutes.
• Frost the cooled cupcakes with the frosting.

TRIPLE-CITRUS CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour and salt.
• With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl every few minutes. Add citrus zests. Reduce speed to medium, and add vanilla. Add eggs, three at a time, beating until until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in four batches, beating until completely incorporated after each.
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full; tap pans on countertop once to distribute batter. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
• To finish, dip tops of cupcakes in glaze, then turn over quickly and garnish with zest. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are glazed; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

ULTIMATE WHITE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line one 12-cup standard muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Stir the milk and vanilla together in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld electric mixer).
• Mix on low speed until the butter is smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup of the sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add about one-third of the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add half the milk mixture and beat until smooth. Repeat, adding flour, then milk, and then the rest of the flour, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat briefly to make a smooth batter.
• Put the egg whites in a clean bowl. Whip on high speed until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue to beat until the egg whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks, about 10 minutes. Fold the whites into the batter in three batches. Divide the cake batter evenly between the liners.
• Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, rotating the tin about halfway through, about 20 minutes.
• Cool the cupcakes on a rack in the tin for 10 minutes, and then remove from the tin. Cool on the rack completely.

EASTER CUPCAKES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 3 (6-cup) muffin pans with cupcake liners.
• Frosting: Put the chocolate chips and shortening in a medium microwavable bowl. Microwave on high, stirring halfway between cooking time, until the chocolate is melted, about 40 to 50 seconds. Stir until smooth. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the melted chocolate, orange juice, vanilla, and salt until blended. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
• Cupcakes: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and egg yolks, 1 at time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the sour cream, zest, and juice until blended. Add the flour mixture on low speed, and beat until just blended.
• Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full with the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely on a rack.
• With a small metal spatula, spread the frosting over the tops of the cooled cupcakes; use assorted fruit and candies to decorate the cupcakes.