3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp super fine sugar (or see note below if you don’t have super fine)
1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 tsp salt
6 egg whites, at room temperature
2 1/2 Tbsp warm water
1/2 tsp vanilla, coconut, almond or orange extract (I used almond)
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Frosting
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
fresh strawberries, blueberries or raspberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place 16 paper liners in muffin tins.
If you are using granulated sugar, place in a food processor, and pulse until super fine, about 2 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, sift together HALF of the sugar, the cake flour and the salt.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg whites, water, extract of choice and cream of tartar until well combined, about 2 minutes.
Switch to a hand mixer and whip mixture on medium speed while slowly adding remaining sugar to mixture, until medium peaks form.
Sift just enough of the flour mixture in to evenly dust the top of the egg white mixture and using a spatula gently fold flour layer into egg white mixture.
Continue this process until all of the flour mixture has been incorporated (I did this in 12 batches).
Divide batter among paper lined muffin cups, filling each cup nearly full.
Bake in preheated oven 18 – 20 minutes until golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Cool completely then spread Cream Cheese Whipped Cream over cupcakes just before serving and top with fresh fruit or sprinkles.
For the Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Frosting:
In a mixing bowl whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.
In a separate mixing bowl, whip cream cheese until light and fluffy and no lumps remaining.
Add cream cheese to whipped cream along with powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
Store in refrigerator, covered, until ready to use.
You can make the frosting the day before. I put the frosting in a pastry bag with a large star tip and put a twist tie on the other end, and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Then I let my grand kids frost and decorate their own cupcakes. They love using the pastry bag!
