Four-Ingredient Nutella Cupcakes

Just when you thought Nutella couldn't get awesomer, someone comes along with the idea of making cupcakes out of it. But not just any cupcakes--four-ingredient cupcakes.



To be honest, I think these are actually even three-ingredient cupcakes, because one of the ingredients (chopped hazelnuts) is a garnish and could easily be omitted with no hard feelings. So the equation is really something like this:

Nutella + 1 egg + a few spoonfuls of flour + 11 minutes in the oven = CUPCAKE PERFECTION



I know, I had my doubts too. I was mostly worried that they would turn out to be rubbery, in the way that so many fishy pseudo-cupcakes often are. But they were actually moist and fudgy--denser than many cupcakes, but in a good way. These may be small, but they have a lot of flavor from the Nutella "frosting" and crushed hazelnuts on top.



I actually feel a little bad sharing this recipe, because I think it could be dangerous. Delicious cupcakes in 12 minutes with only 4 ingredients? THAT is a recipe that could do some serious damage. But, the upcoming World Nutella Day leaves me no choice. I apologize in advance.

Four-Ingredient Nutella Cupcakes
adapted from Savory Sweet Life
yields 9 mini cupcakes

1 cup Nutella spread, divided use
1 large egg
5 tablespoons all=purpose flour
2 tbsp cup chopped hazelnuts

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 9 cups of a mini muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

2. Put 1/2 cup of the Nutella and egg in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth and well blended. Add the flour and whisk until blended.

3. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins (about 3/4 full) and bake until a pick comes out with wet, gooey crumbs, 11 to 12 minutes. Don't overbake!

4. Set on a rack to cool completely. Once cool, warm the remaining 1/2 cup of Nutella in a small bowl in the microwave just until warm and fluid, about 15-25 seconds. Dip the tops of each cupcake in the Nutella, so that it's completely coated. (You will have extra Nutella left over. I trust you can find something to do with this.) Sprinkle the tops of the cupcakes with the chopped hazelnuts. These keep for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

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The Secret to Stress-Free Birthday Cakes

Today I would like to share the #1 secret to making amazing birthday cakes without breaking a sweat. It's not having all the fancy kitchen gadgets, although some specialty tools can help. It's not taking expensive baking classes, although you can learn lots from great teachers. And it's not using expensive ingredients, although sometimes it's worth it to pay more. No, the #1 secret to stress-free baking is to watch the time.

Allow me to illustrate this very important principle with an example. Well, it's really more of an anti-example...


This is Ryan. You may remember him from such previous cakes as the Baby You're A Rock Star cake, which he enjoyed while still in the womb. (Aw, baby's first taste of sugar.) Ryan recently celebrated his first birthday and I was lucky enough to be asked to do the baby cake and mini cupcakes for the party. Here's how it went down:

Get the email with the party details, everything's great.
Finalize the numbers and flavors and decorating ideas, everything's great.
Do all the prep work the day before, everything's great.
Get up the morning of the party and get started baking the cupcakes and decorating the cake. Everything is still great.

After a leisurely morning of swanning around the kitchen, fiddling with different tasks, I check my email to make sure that I have everything covered and all the details in order. Only then, upon closer reading, do I discover that I mis-read the party invitation and what I thought was the start time was actually the end time. Suddenly I am running an hour and a half behind, and the party is supposed to start in 10 minutes. And the cake's not quite done. And the cupcakes aren't frosted or decorated. And I haven't showered yet. And, oh yeah, it's a 25 minute drive to the party house. Commence panic.

The next 45 minutes were spent tearing around the house like a Tasmanian devil, piping cupcakes like a madwoman, trying to strike a balance between finishing everything and not being unforgivably late. It was not my finest moment.


Of course, this story has a happy(ish) ending. I made it to the party about an hour late, which, while embarrassing, still left plenty of time to have Ryan eat the cake and let the guests enjoy the cupcakes. My friend Jane, the hostess, was beyond gracious and understanding. And the cake and cupcakes turned out pretty well. There were things about the cake I didn't have time to fix, and cute fondant cut-outs that didn't make it on top of the cupcakes, but I'm trying not to focus on the negatives.


The guidelines Jane gave me were to use shades of blue, green, and brown, and to try to work in a striped pattern. I did that for the bottom layer, but since I know Jane is a wee bit fond of obsessed with argyle I thought it would be fun to do one of the layers in an argyle pattern. It turned out to be my favorite look, by far. I wish I'd done all the layers argyle...but then I would have been about 4 hours late to the party!


This picture is for my adolescent self, who would scowl in geometry class and huff, "When will I ever use this in real life?" Drink it up, Past Liz, you could have used a little more geometry learnin' this weekend. Diamond measuring is hard work.

I made the 1 out of rice crispy treats, which is a fabulous trick when you need to sculpt something with hard edges or difficult details. I didn't love how the plaid turned out, so next time it's all argyle all the way. Live and learn!

It wouldn't be a post about a first birthday cake without a few pictures of the cake carnage.

This picture pretty much sums up Ryan's whole attitude toward the cake-eating. He was extremely suspicious of the whole enterprise--I think he thought we were playing a trick on him.
After taking a few exploratory bites, he found what he really loved about the cake: pounding it flat. He made like Animal and wailed on the cake, sending cake shrapnel flying through the air. I laughed, and then I cried, and then I took about a million pictures.
The end result was a horrifying swamp of cake and frosting covering him, and his high chair, and a swath of floor around him. Good thing there were cupcakes for the guests to enjoy, because no one was eating that cake when he was done with it.

I made two kinds of mini cupcakes: S'mores and Caramel Apple.

The S'mores cupcakes were a rich chocolate devil's food, with a thin layer of graham crumbs on the base and a sprinkling of graham on top before they baked. The cupcakes were topped with a vanilla marshmallow frosting that was lightly torched for that toasted marshmallow-round-the-campfire flavor.
The caramel apple cupcakes were the brainchild of Jane's husband, Seth. I was actually a little less excited about them because to me, apple cupcakes = muffins. And we all know muffins aren't so exciting. However, it turns out if you add enough sugary accessories to apple cupcakes, they're awesome. Here they were filled with a mix of caramel sauce and apple butter, then topped with a caramel buttercream and a caramel drizzle.

The S'mores and Apple Caramel Cupcake recipes are below.


S'mores Cupcakes

Basic Chocolate Cupcakes
Yield: 1-6" round, 1-4" round, and 48 mini cupcakes (make a 2/3 batch if you just want 48 mini or 24 regular cupcakes)

9 oz butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp chocolate extract (optional)
1.5 cups buttermilk, room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
3 tbsp lukewarm coffee (can use water instead)
2-2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1.5 cups BEST QUALITY cocoa powder, Dutch-processed (I use Valrhona)
2-1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

To make S'mores variation: mix 1 cup graham crumbs with 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Melt 1/4 cup butter and stir it into the graham mixture. Place a small spoonful (about 1/2 tsp) of graham mixture in the bottom of each muffin cup and press it down evenly. Fill the cups with cake batter, then sprinkle more graham on top of each before baking.

Marshmallow Frosting
8 large egg whites, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

After piping on cupcakes, use a kitchen torch to lightly toast the outside of the frosting. If you don't have the torch you can try sticking them under the broiler for 20-30 seconds at a time, carefully watching them the whole time. I have a very old, very crotchety oven that doesn't heat evenly, so I wouldn't trust it to brown these sufficiently, but you may have better luck.



Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Apple Cupcakes
Yields: about 55 mini cupcakes

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 cups coarsely shredded apples, liquid squeezed out

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; mix in apples. Don't worry if the batter looks broken at this point. Add flour mixture; mix, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until just combined.

Divide batter among lined cups, filling about 3/4 full to get generous, crowning apple cupcakes. Bake until tops are springy to the touch, about 15 minutes for mini cupcakes. Remove cupcakes from tins; transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Brown Sugar Buttercream
Yield: enough to frost 55+ mini cupcakes (7-8 cups?)

8 large egg whites, room temperature
2.5 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
5 sticks (20 oz) unsalted butter, soft but cool to the touch

Put egg whites, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly, until hot to the touch, about 5 minutes.

Beat in the mixer using the whisk attachment on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, and the bowl is no longer hot to the touch, about 6-8 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low. Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition. It's normal for the meringue to deflate and look soupy at this point. If your meringue wasn't hot when you started adding it, and your butter was cool but supple to the touch, you should be okay. Beat until frosting is smooth and glossy, 3 to 5 minutes. Buttercream can be refrigerated airtight for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature, and beat before using.

Caramel Sauce
Yield: about 2 cups

1/2 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
4 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream, warmed to 100 degrees F
1/2 cup full fat sour cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch salt (less than 1/8 teaspoon)

Combine the water, sugar, and the corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Stir them together with very clean fingers, making sure no lumps of dry sugar remain. Brush down the insides of the pan with a little water, using your hand to feel for any stray granules of sugar.

Cover the saucepan and place it over medium heat for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, remove the lid, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Do not stir from this point on. Keep an eye on the pan. It will be very bubbly. When stray sugar crystals appear on the side of the pan, brush them down with a wet pastry brush.

As the sugar cooks, the bubbles will get larger. Insert a candy thermometer, and when the temperature reaches 300 degrees F, lower the heat to medium, which will slow the cooking. Continue to cook the sugar until it reaches 350 degrees F. It will be dark brown. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 1 minute, or until the bubbles subside.

Add the cream to the caramel. It will bubble up vigorously, so be careful.

Vigorously whisk in the sour cream, lemon juice, and salt. This sauce is now ready to be served warm or cooled to room temperature. It will keep stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

To make the caramel buttercream:
Have buttercream in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and turn mixer to medium-low. With mixer running, add about 3/4 cup of room temperature caramel sauce--it should be the same temperature as the buttercream, not warmer or cooler. Once it's completely incorporated taste the frosting, and add a bit more caramel if you want the flavor to be more pronounced.


To assemble the caramel apple cupcakes: Poke a hole in the middle of each cupcake. I mixed together some caramel sauce and apple butter, since I had apple butter languishing in the refrigerator, but you can use straight caramel sauce if you want. Squirt a little sauce in the center of each cupcake. Pipe the caramel buttercream on top, and finish with a drizzle of the remaining caramel sauce.

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Butterfly Cupcakes and the Tijuana Turtle Effect

So my boss Esti has a theory about miniature desserts we call the "Tijuana Turtle Effect." Observe:

One miniature butterfly cupcake is pretty cute.


Three mini butterfly cupcakes are kind of darling.
But a huge spread of dozens and dozens of mini butterfly cupcakes, arranged wing to wing? UNBEARABLY ADORABLE. This, my friends, is the Tijuana Turtle Effect.


As she explains it, it's like when you go to Tijuana and see these stalls selling hundreds of small bobble-headed turtle figurines. The sheer volume of the teensy turtles hypnotizes you into thinking they're just the cutest things you've ever seen, and pretty soon you won't be happy until you own a Tijuana turtle for yourself. Of course, you get home and it's not nearly as cute without its brethren--but that is the lesson of the Tijuana turtles. We've found this also holds true for all types of miniature desserts. No matter how cute something looks, it invariably looks twelve times cuter when surrounded by hundreds of clones. I made these butterfly cupcakes for my friend Heather's baby shower. Citrus flavors are her favorite, so I did lemon cupcakes with four different flavors of citrus curd inside. The green ones are key lime, the pink are pink grapefruit, the yellow are lemon, and the orange are (you guessed it) orange. Each is topped with vanilla buttercream and a white chocolate butterfly.
Arranged at the shower:
So the next time you're not so pleased with the appearance a dessert you've made, simply make a few dozen more and arrange them side by side. I guarantee they will look way cuter, and if you're still not pleased, you now have a ton of dessert with which to comfort yourself. Win-win!

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Tastes like Hope

Hungry for change? I am! After decking out my car, my computer, and my wardrobe with Obama gear, I decided it was time to give my cupcakes the same treatment. These babies got us ready for our trip to Nevada over election weekend, where we will be doing all we can to help Barack the vote!


Vote "yes" for chocolate devil's food cupcakes filled with ganache and topped with vanilla buttercream and a little fondant.

And whether you like Baking for Barack or John McCakes, don't forget to vote this Tuesday!

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Tuesdays with Dorie: Halloween Chocolate Cupcakes

Ahh, velcome to Tuesdays vith Dorie...Haunted Cupcake Edition. Mwahahaha!
As a holiday, Halloween doesn't inspire a lot of passion in me. I can never think of brilliant costume ideas, and let's face it, I chow down on candy year-round. However, I do love cake (and cupcake!) decorating, so when Clara at I Heart Food for Thought chose the chocolate-chocolate cupcakes for this week's TWD recipe, and gently nudged us all to decorate them for Halloween, I dove into the challenge with pastry bags a-blazin'.

I had a list of about two dozen cupcake designs I wanted to try, literally, and my original goal was to make each cupcake an entirely unique creation. But then I remembered that I had things to do this weekend, like work and errands and sleeping and eating, so I decided to whittle down my list to just a handful of Halloween-themed designs:
Clockwise from top left: hand bursting from cupcake, mummycakes, bloody eyeballs, pumpkins, ghosts, spiders and webs.

So first, the cupcakes. Lots of people complained that theirs turned out dry, so I was really skimpy on my flour measurements, and I added a little bit of plain yogurt to the batter. I also baked them much less than Dorie suggested: the minis were done in about 14 minutes, and the large cupcakes were done around 19 minutes. I doubled the batch and made 24 minis and 17 regular-sized cupcakes.

I thought that they were pretty decent by themselves. A nice, but not overwhelming, chocolate flavor, a moist crumb, nothing objectionable. They weren't quite chocolatey enough for me, and there were too many steps/bowls to feel like they were worth my while, so I can't say that they'll make it into my regular cupcake rotation, but I certainly didn't think they were bad.

Because they lacked the chocolatey oomph I crave, I filled them with a squirt of bittersweet chocolate ganache before decorating. I also omitted the chocolate glaze and instead made a big batch of buttercream to be used for decorating. And what sorts of decorations did I do?

PUMPKINS: Orange buttercream, piped in a large mound on top. I let them chill in the refrigerator for a bit to start setting the buttercream, then indented the top with a finger, rolled the tops in orange sugar, and dragged a toothpick down the sides to create creases. A small pretzel rod was the finishing touch.

SPIDERWEBS: I made a little chocolate buttercream, and topped some of the cupcakes with chocolate, then dipped the tops in some liquid ganache. Most of them just got spiderwebs in a contrasting color, but I made two spiders out of black fondant (and lots of frustration) to top several of the spiderwebs. Here's a tip if you're trying to get a true black frosting color: always start with a chocolate frosting. If you start with white, you'll just get dark grey, never black. Also, gel colors give better results than most liquid colors.

EYEBALLS: red buttercream veins, with M&Ms (plain and peanut) as the iris and a dab of frosting in the middle for the pupil. Larger candies like lifesavers probably would have worked better on the big cupcakes, but it was late and I was tired.

MUMMIES: I kind of love these little guys. They were really simple, too. A quick base coat of buttercream, topped by two mini M&Ms for eyes, then lots of strips of buttercream using a small rectangular (basketweave) tip--the smallest rose tip would probably work well too.

GHOSTS: I had a little bit of leftover homemade marshmallow fondant in my fridge, so I made a few ghosts. I piped a tall, thin cylinder of buttercream onto the cupcakes, then refrigerated them until the buttercream was well set. I rolled the fondant into thin circles and draped it over the buttercream tower. The eyes and mouth were bits of black fondant. These probably wouldn't hold up well all day in a warm room, but they were fine when they sat out for a few hours tonight.

IT CAME FROM INSIDE THE CUPCAKE: This was just for fun! I had a package of gummy body parts (ah, Halloween) so I did some bloody fingers emerging from a mini cupcake. Sadly, I only had four fingers so this is a Simpsons-style hand. I considered, but ultimately rejected, using the gummy bloody brain and the gummy moldy tongues. Ew.

All the cupcakes came with me to a party tonight and everyone seemed to enjoy them, so I will consider this recipe a success. And I had a blast doing the decorating, so thank you to Clara for a great choice!
Cupcakes as far as the eye can see...Happy Halloween, everyone!

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Black and White Angel Food Cupcakes

I was completely torn when I found out that cupcakes were this month's Sugar High Friday theme. I love Sugar High Friday! And I really, really love cupcakes. But I've been feeling a little...squishier around the middle lately, and I'm sure it's due to all of the baked goods lying around, and my accompanying lack of willpower. It's a potent combination. And since I just climbed dominated Half Dome, I've been feeling virtuous and didn't want to ruin my hard work with an ill-timed cupcake binge. What's a girl to do?

I decided to compromise and make healthy-ish cupcakes. Instead of my favorite intensely chocolate devil's food cakes loaded with rich buttercream frosting, I went with light and airy (and almost fat-free!) angel food cakes, topped with a modest dusting of powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Why, these are so healthy, they're practically vegetables!

Admittedly, these didn't turn out quite the way I pictured. I expected more of a rise out of the cakes, so they turned out a little shrimpy. And I really should have piped the batter instead of scooping it, because they look charmingly, uh, rustic on top.

However, the taste made up for their cosmetic deficiencies. The typical angel food cake batter was enlivened with a bit of orange zest and a healthy dose of finely grated bittersweet chocolate. The final result isn't exactly a chocolate angel food cake, but it's a complex cake with hints of citrus and chocolate in every bite. The chocolate was a great touch, and it definitely made the cake much more interesting than the typical "chewy sponge" flavor of regular angel food cake!

Of course these little cakes would be divine with a dollop of whipped cream and a pool of warm ganache, so if you're feeling less angelic, you could craft a really sinful dessert from these innocent cupcakes. Recipe after the jump!


Black and White Angel Food Cupcakes

This recipe makes about 30 mini cupcakes. I recommend multiplying it by 4 if you want to make a large (10-inch) bundt cake.

3 egg whites, room temperature
3/4 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup AP flour
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp finely chopped orange zest
1 oz chocolate, finely grated

Preheat the oven to 350 and line your mini cupcake pans with paper liners. (If using a bundt pan, do not spray it.)

Sift together the flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and salt three times. Place the egg whites in the clean bowl of a large electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the eggs until foamy, and add the lemon juice. Continue beating on medium-high until soft peaks form. Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 spoonful at a time, until the whites are thick, glossy, and hold their peaks.

Sift a third of the flour mixture onto the egg whites and gently fold it in using a rubber spatula. Alternately fold in the chocolate and the remaining flour mixture, being very careful not to deflate the egg whites in the process.

Scoop or pipe the batter into the prepared cupcake pans, and bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then remove them from the pans and allow to cool completely. Serve dusted with powdered sugar or cocoa powder, or topped with a bit of freshly whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

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Cupcakepalooza

First, an order of administrative business: the chocolate giveaway is finished, and Maria of Two Peas and Their Pod is the winner. So Maria, I left you a comment in your blog--email me your address and I'll send those right out to you. Thanks to everyone who left a comment. I actually have a lot of leftover candy from the All Candy Expo I attended earlier this year, so I might do another giveaway once I sort through it all. Stay tuned. Now back to your regularly scheduled sweets...

A recent picnic in the park was a great excuse to do some baking. I decided to go with mini cupcakes, because they're adorable and a manageable amount of dessert for most people. (You know how it's fashionable for people--especially women--to insist that they "don't eat sugar"? Yeah, I don't believe in that.) But even the most stalwart anti-sugarite can sometimes be swayed by a petite, beautifully constructed, two-bite mini cupcake. Mwahaha! Victory will be mine!

Because they're so small, it's likely that some people will go for more than one, so I wanted to offer a variety of cupcakes, with a minimum of extra effort on my part. So I took a batch of chocolate cupcakes, a simple ganache, and a basic vanilla buttercream, added a few extra flavorings, and ended up with six different types of mini cupcakes.


Chocolate cupcakes + buttercream + peanut butter + salted peanuts = Nutty Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes + buttercream + strawberry puree + fresh strawberries= Berry Blast Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes + buttercream + vanilla extract + mini M&Ms= Ruffled Vanilla-Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes + chocolate ganache +sugar confetti= Double Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes + a filling of buttercream + chocolate ganache glaze = "Faux-stess" Chocolate Cupcakes


Chocolate cupcakes + a filling of mint-flavored ganache + mint-flavored buttercream + a ganache glaze = Mint Madness Chocolate Cupcakes


Follow me for the recipes...

Devil's Food Cupcakes
[This recipe makes about 2.5 dozen full-size cupcakes]

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened best-quality cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water or coffee
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°F. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into large bowl. Combine sugar, water or coffee, buttermilk, oil, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla in another large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg mixture until blended. Add dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed until blended, scraping bowl occasionally, about 4 minutes.

Line cupcake molds with papers and fill them about 2/3rds full. Bake cupcakes, until puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to racks and cool completely.

Buttercream Frosting
You will need a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and a candy thermometer for this recipe. It can be colored and flavored however you like.

5 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 cup water
14 oz granulated sugar (about 2 cups)
1 tsp cream of tartar
12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
Flavoring extracts or colors

Place the room temperature egg whites in the *very clean* bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Place the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Insert a candy thermometer and cook until it reaches soft-ball stage, about 240 degrees.

While you are waiting for the sugar syrup to reach the proper temperature, begin beating the egg whites. (I usually start beating them when the temperature is around 220 degrees.) Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat until the whites look foamy. Stop the mixer briefly and add the cream of tartar. Turn the mixer back on and begin to beat on medium-high speed until the whites are stiff but not crumbly. You can turn the mixer off if the egg whites are finished before the syrup is ready.

When the whites are stiff and the sugar syrup is 240 degrees, turn the mixer back on to medium-high and pour the syrup into a cup or pitcher with a spout. Slowly and carefully pour the hot syrup down the sides of the bowl into the egg whites while the mixer is running. The whites will rise in volume. After all of the syrup is added, let the mixer run on medium speed until the sides of the bowl feels barely warm, which may take anywhere from 10-20 minutes.

Once the egg white mixture has cooled, gradually add the softened butter bit by bit until it is all incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. The egg white mixture will deflate and might look soupy. If it looks soupy or broken, continue to beat the mixer on low or medium speed until it comes back together. (It WILL gradually become a beautiful, smooth frosting. I promise.) Once the frosting is finished, you can add any extra flavorings and colors you'd like. Some favorites: vanilla or mint extract, fruit purees, melted lukewarm unsweetened chocolate, or creamy peanut butter. It's very flexible. The frosting can be stored at room temperature for a few days, or up to a week or two in the refrigerator. If refrigerated, allow it to come to room temperature, then re-beat to get the proper texture. Jason knows just what to do with excess frosting.

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