Description
These Deliciously Easy White Cupcakes are perfect for any celebration. Light, fluffy, and subtly sweet, they feature a tender crumb from cake flour and a delicate hint of vanilla and almond extracts. Easy to prepare and versatile with optional food coloring for festive decoration, these cupcakes will delight guests and beginners alike.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 0.5 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.5 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 4 large egg whites
- 0.5 cups milk (can use dairy-free alternative)
- Food coloring (optional for decoration)
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners or lightly grease the pan to prevent sticking.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. This ensures the dry ingredients are well combined and helps create a light texture.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with the granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. This step is crucial for incorporating air into the batter.
- Add Extracts: Mix in the vanilla extract and almond extract (if using) until fully blended, adding fragrant flavor to the batter.
- Incorporate Egg Whites: Gradually add the large egg whites one at a time to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. This gradual incorporation helps maintain airiness in the batter.
- Add Dry Ingredients and Milk Alternately: With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the sifted dry ingredients and milk to the wet mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; be careful not to over-mix to keep the cupcakes tender.
- Add Food Coloring (Optional): If desired, gently fold in a few drops of food coloring for decoration and festive appearance.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full to allow room for rising.
- Bake the Cupcakes: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool the Cupcakes: Remove the pan from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting or serving.
Notes
- Use cake flour for a tender, delicate crumb. All-purpose flour may result in denser cupcakes.
- Beat the egg whites gradually to maintain fluffiness; over-beating can cause them to deflate.
- To make these cupcakes dairy-free, substitute milk with almond milk or any preferred dairy-free milk.
- Do not over-mix the batter once flour is added, as it can make the cupcakes tough.
- Oven temperatures vary, so start checking for doneness at 20 minutes to avoid overbaking.
