ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES RECIPES

Steps:

• About 30 minutes before making the cake, place an egg separator over a small bowl. Crack each egg over the egg separator to separate the whites from the yolk. (save the yolks for another recipe.) Transfer egg whites to a 2-cup measuring cup until there are 1 1/2 cups of egg whites.
• Place the egg whites in a clean large bowl, and let stand at room temperature up to 30 minutes.*
• Move the oven rack to the lowest position; remove other oven rack. Heat the oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar and flour; set aside.
• Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until mixture looks foamy. On high speed, beat in the granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time; add the vanilla, almond extract and salt with the last addition of sugar. Continue beating until meringue is stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat.
• Sprinkle the powdered sugar-flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, over the meringue; to fold in, use a rubber spatula to cut down vertically through the batter, then slide the spatula across the bottom of the bowl and up the side just until sugar-flour mixture disappears. When all sugar-flour mixture has been folded in, spoon the batter into an ungreased 10x4-inch angel food (tube) cake pan. Using a metal spatula or knife, gently cut through the batter, spreading batter gently against side of pan and tube, to break large air pockets.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cracks in cake feel dry and top springs back when touched lightly. Immediately turn pan upside down onto a heatproof funnel or bottle. Let cake hang about 2 hours or until completely cool.
• Remove pan from funnel. Loosen the cake by running a knife or long metal spatula between the cake and side of pan. Place a serving plate upside down on pan; turn plate and pan over together and remove pan. (If pan has a removable bottom, remove side of pan, then carefully run a knife or long metal spatula between cake and pan bottom. Carefully remove bottom.) To cut cake, use a long serrated knife in a sawing motion, or use an electric knife.

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly spray 18 muffin cups with baking spray.
• To make the cake batter, combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Set aside.
• In a separate container, combine the buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla and eggs. Stir to combine and set aside.
• In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and stir to combine. Add the boiling water, allow to bubble for a few seconds and then turn off the heat.
• Pour the chocolate mixture over the flour mixture. Stir a few times to cool the chocolate. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the top and stir to combine.
• Fill muffin cups just over half full (do not overfill!). Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, and then remove the cupcakes and allow to cool completely on a baking rack.
• For the ganache: To make the ganache, heat the cream and corn syrup over medium heat. Chop the chocolate and add to a bowl. Add the vanilla to the cream mixture, and then pour the cream mixture over the top of the chopped chocolate. Whisk together until melted, smooth and glossy. Allow to cool slightly.
• For the creme filling: Whip together the butter and shortening until light and fluffy.
• Sift together the powdered sugar and salt and add it to the butter mixture in batches. Add the milk, then the vanilla, beating the whole time. Scrape the sides of the bowl, and beat until very light and fluffy. Put the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a medium tip.
• When the cupcakes are totally cool, insert the tip of the pastry bag into the bottom of the cupcake and fill with creme filling. When cupcakes are filled, spoon ganache so that it completely coats each cupcake OR dip to coat.
• Let them set before serving.