Note: All the above ingredients are required to be at room temperature.
(1) Method: Cupcakes
Melt butter & salt on low heat. Add the milk. Keep whisking. Add 20 grams sugar. Cook just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Let it cool.
Transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Add the cake flour. Add all the egg yolks at once. Mix with the help of a balloon whisk until combined. *Do not over-mix.
Place the egg whites in a bowl. Whisk for 30 seconds with an electric beater.
Add the cream of tartar. Whisk again for 30 seconds. Add 45 grams sugar little by little. Keep whisking on high speed until stiff peaks form (About 3-5 minutes).
Turn a small amount of the egg white mixture to the egg yolks mixture. Mix well. Now, pour all of the yolk mixture to it. Fold until just incorporated. *Very important: Do not stir.
Tap the filled pan a couple of times on the counter top to get the air bubbles out. Fill 3/4th of the cavities of a Muffin Pan lined with Cupcake Liners.
Bake in a preheated oven 120 Degrees C/250 Degrees F for 23 minutes.
Note: These are supposed to be Off-Whitish. Do not over bake or brown them. Baking time depends on the size of the pan. Do a Cake Test with the help of a toothpick. It should come out clean.
Cool on wire rack.
Decorate the cupcakes with the Buttercream icing. (Recipe below).
(2) Method: Buttercream Icing
Place butter & sugar together in large mixing bowl. *Use a Stand Mixer or an Electric Hand Mixer. Start with low speed. Mix until light, smooth, silky & fluffy at medium-high speed. (*Should be done in less than 5 minutes in a Stand Mixer. 5-7 minutes if using a Hand Mixer).
Add the Vanilla, Cream & Color. Mix for 30 seconds.
Pour in a Piping Bag with your favorite Icing Tip/Nozzle attached & decorate the cup cakes. (I used Wilton Tip # 2D).
(3) Method: How to decorate
1.Apply a thin layer of the Buttercream with the help of a small spatula to cover the top of the Cupcakes so that the original color doesn’t show.
2.Take a disposable Piping Bag. Place the Icing Tip in it. Cut off the tip of the bag to insert the Icing Tip. Fold the bag outwards into almond half. Fill the Buttercream with a medium spatula. *Do not touch with your fingers/hand. The butter will melt from your body heat. Fill only half the bag. Unfold the folded part upwards & twist it at the top.
3.Squeeze the Buttercream gently so that it reaches the tip.
4.Hold a Cupcake with your left hand. Hold the bag filled with the Buttercream with your right hand or vice versa. Start Icing from the middle & go outwards in a circular motion. Apply equal amount of pressure for consistency. Don’t stop in between. When the whole Cupcake is covered with the Icing, release pressure & taper off. Refill the bag as required. Repeat until all the Cupcakes are decorated. *If you mess up, remove the Icing with the help of a small spatula, put it back in the bowl & start all over again. Enjoy!
Some tips: 1.The Buttercream Icing can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a week OR in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before use, bring it to room temperature & re-whip in the stand mixer or with hand mixer for a few minutes until light & fluffy again. Add a tablespoon or two of Icing Sugar (sifted) if it needs to be thickened.
2.Always sift the Icing Sugar before use for a smooth texture as it tends to harden up & become lumpy.
3.You need very little gel color. Use the head of a toothpick to take out the gel color from the bottle. The color darkens slightly later after mixing. Do not use Liquid Food Color as it alters the consistency of the icing.
