Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [361]
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
About 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup Marshmallow Fluff or Marshmallow Crème (see Note)
Beat the butter, shortening, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until creamy and light, using an electric mixer at medium speed, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and the Marshmallow Fluff or Crème. Continue beating until marshmallowy. You may need to add more confectioners’ sugar; do so in 1-tablespoon increments for a thick, smooth texture, but take care: you do not want it to become runny.
Note: Marshmallow Fluff is an East Coast delight. West of the Mississippi, Fluff is replaced by Marshmallow Crème, similar but slightly runnier. Either will work in these recipes; but if you use Marshmallow Crème, you may need to add a little more confectioners’ sugar to give it a little body.
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Cupcakes
Here are two all-purpose cupcakes. None has a frosting in tow; each can take almost any of the frostings, icings, and buttercreams in this chapter (with the exception of the Lemon Drizzle, Lemon Curd, or most of the fillings for the sponge rolls).
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Vanilla Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes
24 paper cupcake liners
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cool unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup sugar
1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a standard 24-cup muffin tin or two 12-cup tins with the cupcake liners. If using silicone muffin tins, set them on a large baking sheet.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until creamy and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Beat in the egg, then the 2 egg yolks and the vanilla until smooth.
Beat in half the milk. Turn off the beaters, add half the flour mixture, and beat at low speed just until moistened. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, beat in the remainder of the milk, then beat in the remainder of the flour mixture just until incorporated.
Scrape down and remove the beaters. Use a rubber spatula to give the batter a few stirs, just to make sure there are no pockets of undissolved flour. Spoon the batter into the cups, filling them about two-thirds full.
Bake until puffed and slightly firm to the touch, until a toothpick or a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then unmold and cool on a wire rack until room temperature before frosting.
Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes
24 paper cupcake liners
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cool unsalted butter, cut into chunks
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped, melted, and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a standard 24-cup muffin tin or two 12-cup tins with the cupcake liners. If using silicone muffin tins, set them on a large baking sheet.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and both kinds of sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the egg yolk, melted chocolate, and vanilla until smooth.
Beat in half the milk. Turn off the beaters, add half the flour mixture, and beat at low speed just until moistened. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, beat in the remainder of the milk, then beat in the remainder of the flour mixture, just for a few seconds.
Scrape down and remove the beaters. Use a rubber spatula to stir the batter a few times,