White Cupcakes with Pastel Buttercream Peaks

Name: White Cupcakes with Pastel Buttercream Peaks
Yield: makes 24
Ingredients: 3 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising); 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract; 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk; 1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 3/4 cups sugar; 5 large egg whites, room temperature; Swiss Meringue Buttercream (page 304); Gel-paste food colors (pink, violet, and yellow are pictured)

January 24, 2012

Fanciful peaks in a spectrum of shades crown cupcakes with a motif inspired by a vintage Russian cookbook. You could also opt to use just one color of frosting, or leave it untinted. White cupcakes, made with egg whites only (instead of whole eggs), are very light and delicate. For a stronger vanilla flavor, scrape the seeds of one vanilla bean (halved lengthwise) into the milk in step one, and omit vanilla extract.

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