White Cakes w/ Purple Espresso Frosting

Photo: Tanya

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large egg whites, room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided

cup vegetable shortening

1/4 cup butter, softened

cup half& half

2/3 cup whole milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon black walnut extract

6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup butter, softened

2 egg yolks

2 ounces hot water with

1 teaspoon rounded, instant espresso powder

7 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Wilton purple coloring

2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts

Wilton Halloween sprinkles

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Go ahead and line the muffin pans and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Put the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer that has been fitted with the whisk attachment. Start whisking on low speed until the whites start getting frothy. At this point, increase speed to medium. After an additional couple minutes increase speed another notch or two.

Continue whisking until soft peaks form. At this point, it is time to add in 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Ideally, you want to add in a little at a time while the mixer is on low.

After all the sugar had been added, increase speed to medium/ medium-high. The eggs are done when they form stiff peaks.

So we've set the egg whites aside. Now it is time to cream together the shortening and butter in the bowl of the stand mixer, this time fitted with the paddle attachment.

Once the shortening and butter have become combined to form a creamy mixture, turn the mixer speed to low. Add in the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar. Turn speed back up to medium and beat until creamy again.

Now it is time to add the flour mixture from earlier and the milk and half & half. Keep the mixer on low and add the flour and milk/half & half alternately. Make sure to begin and end with the flour mixture.

After all of the flour mixture and milk/half & half have been combined, add in the two extracts. (For the purer white color, I used clear vanilla extract.)

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup about 3/4 of the way full.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes.

Let the pan stand for 2 minutes after coming out of the oven. Turn the cupcakes out and let them finish cooling on a wire rack.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Beat on medium speed until creamy, smooth and shiny.

Turn off mixer and scrape down the sides. Add in the egg yolks. Continue beating on medium-low speed until it all comes together.

Scrape the sides of the bowl down again. Pour in the espresso water and add 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Beat on low. With the next addition of powdered sugar, add in the cream of tartar. Go ahead and add in the coloring at this point so that it will have plenty of time to get mixed throughout all the icing without needing to over-beat. Continue beating in the powdered sugar on low. Or else you will have a plume of sugar rising up from where you stand.

Once all sugar has been added, increase speed to high for about 5 minutes. Using a piping bag fitted with the tip of choice, frost the cooled cupcakes.

I sprinkled some crushed hazelnuts over some of the cupcakes (because not everyone can eat nuts) and then sprinkled purple sugar over the top of all the cupcakes. I do recommend using nuts. The cupcakes and frosting are so light and airy that the nuts provide a very nice texture contrast. You could toast the hazelnuts or even use macadamia nuts.