Vanilla Cloud Cupcakes
What better way to celebrate Jesus ascending into the heavens than with fluffy, cloud-topped cupcakes! This recipe uses real vanilla beans, right in the batter, which is so cool. For the best effect, top with Jesus cupcake toppers (for all the oohs and ahhs from children and adults alike).
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk room temperature
- 4 large egg whites room temperature
- 1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- Seeds scraped from one vanilla bean
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the cloud frosting:
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese straight from the refrigerator
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream straight from the refrigerator
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with liners.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and egg whites.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds with the paddle attachment at a medium speed for 3 minutes, until the mixture is very light. Add the vanilla extract and one third of the flour mixture, while continuing to beat at a medium speed. Add half of the milk mixture, then half of the remaining dry ingredients, until well mixed. Add the last of the milk mixture and beat until the batter is smooth, and then add the last of the dry ingredients. Continue mixing for two minutes after the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Scoop batter into muffin tins lined with paper liners, so that they are about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and then cool on a wire rack.
- While the cupcakes are baking, clean out the mixing bowl, and use the whisk attachment on your stand mixer to mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Scrape the sides as needed.
- With the mixer on low, add the vanilla and the heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Scoop the frosting into a piping bag with a large circle tip. Once the cupcakes are totally cool, pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes by starting in the center and moving toward the outside to create little cloud-like mounds.
- Top with Ascension cake toppers and enjoy!
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