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Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream and Snowflake Chocolates

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Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 1 hour
Course: Dessert
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

Vanilla Cupcakes:
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Buttercream:
  • 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup vegetable shortening
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 lbs confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 3 Tbsp meringue powder
  • 1 tsp salt
Snowflakes:
  • 1 cup of white chocolate candy melts

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer
  • Cupcake Liners
  • Snowflake Molds

Method
 

Cupcakes:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Put cupcake liners in cupcake pans. Use regular cupcake pans or mini cupcake pans.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Cut up the butter into 1-inch pieces and place them in the large bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment or beaters. Beat for 3 minutes on MEDIUM-HIGH speed until the butter is light and creamy in color. Stop and scrape the bowl. Cream the butter for an additional 60 seconds.
  4. Add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs one at a time.
  5. Reduce the mixer speed. Stir vanilla into the buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. Mix just until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.
  6. Spoon the batter into the cupcake pans.
  7. Center the pans onto the lower third of the oven and let bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake is lightly brown on top and comes away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Buttercream:
  1. Cream shortening and butter with Stand Mixer.
  2. Add flavoring and salt.
  3. Add sugar, one cup at a time. Add meringue powder.
  4. Add milk and beat until light and fluffy.
  5. Add blue food coloring to frosting and mix.
Snowflakes:
  1. Use a double broiler to melt the chocolate.
  2. Place melted chocolate inside snowflake candy molds.
  3. Freeze for 10 minutes.
  4. Release snowflakes
Assemble:
  1. Use a 1M tip to pipe frosting on cupcakes.
  2. Add snowflakes to cupcakes.