Lengths of striped grosgrain ribbon and a dusting of confectioner’s sugar may dress White Chocolate Cupcakes for a party, but it’s the silken swirls of Vanilla-Blackberry Buttercream that make the dessert worthy of celebration in its own right.
White Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla-Blackberry Buttercream
Makes approximately 18
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 1 large egg
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 3 ounces white chocolate, melted and cooled
- Vanilla-Blackberry Buttercream (recipe follows)
- Garnish: fresh berries, fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add egg whites and egg, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Stir in melted white chocolate. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Spread or pipe Vanilla-Blackberry Buttercream over tops of cupcakes. Garnish with berries and mint, if desired.
Vanilla-Blackberry Buttercream
Makes approximately 6 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 6 egg whites
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine blackberries, 1 tablespoon water, and lemon juice. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until blackberries release their juices. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, discarding solids. Set aside to let cool.
- In the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, whisk together sugar and egg whites. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches 140˚ on a candy thermometer.
- Immediately pour egg white mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat at high speed until mixture is cooled, thick, white, and glossy, about 10 minutes. Gradually add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until butter is combined before the next addition. Beat in blackberry mixture and reserved vanilla bean seeds. Use immediately or store, covered, at room temperature for up to 1 day.
For more delectable summer recipes, see “Berried Treasure” in the July/August 2019 issue, available on newsstands and at Victoriamag.com.
