Quick Mousse Filled Angel Food Cupcakes

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.

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:

• 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.

ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350, and place 6 paper liners in a cupcake pan. Gather cupcake ingredients, and set aside frosting ingredients.
• In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch and salt. Sift it back into another bowl, and repeat one more time for a total of 3 siftings. Set this mixture aside.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high until foamy (about 30 seconds). Once foamy, add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form (about 2 minutes). Soft peaks fall over on themselves when you lift the beaters out.
• Next, slowly stream the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, into the egg whites while beating. When done, the mixture will be bright white and glossy.
• Finally, add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.
• Add the flour mixture to the egg white and sugar mixture, and fold together using a rubber spatula. Proper folding technique is down the middle and sweep the sides of the bowl. Don't deflate the batter by stirring too vigorously!
• Divide the batter amount the cupcake liners. It will come to the top of each liner. Bake for 17-19 minutes, until the tops of the cupcakes are starting to lightly brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Let the cupcakes cool completely in the pan before moving to a wire rack.
• Combine the cold whipping cream and powdered sugar, and beat until fluffy. Use a piping bag or butter knife to spread it on the cupcakes. Garnish with fresh berries and serve.

QUICK MOUSSE FILLED ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Mix the angel food cake mix with the water. Just enough moisten don't over mix.
• Pour into 24 cupcake liners in cupcake tins. Don't worry if they're rather full it'll be fine.
• Bake until the tops are golden brown. About 20 minutes they won't take very long. Unfortunately the box doesn't say how long for cupcakes.
• Take them out and let them cool on a rack. While they cool mix the cool whip with the jam and then the pudding mix. It'll be stiff at first but, it's supposed to be thick.
• Cut off the top of the cupcake. Push the center down a little and spoon on a little bit of the mousse. Serve immediately.

EASY MOUSSE CAKE FILLING - ANY FLAVOR!

Steps:

• In a chilled metal bowl, beat whipping cream on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken.
• Gradually add in the instant pudding mix and continue to beat, just until thick.
• If you'd like to add fruit filling, fold it into the cream after it's thickened.