Matinee Idol Cupcakes
Serves: 4
Presley Zulauf
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
55
Spice
58
Sweetness
56
Sourness
40
mins
Prep time (avg)
6
Difficulty
Ingredients:
2.5 cups
Cake Flour1 cup
All-Purpose Flour1 tbsp
Baking Powder1 tsp
Baking Soda2 tbsps
Butter1 cup
Vegetable Shortening1.333333 cups
Sugar1 tsp
Pure Vanilla Extract1 large
Egg (at room temperature)1.5 cups
Water1.5 cups
Half-And-Half1 cups
Low-Fat Milk1 cup
Cream Soda3 tbsps
Corn Syrup3 tbsps
Oil1 cup
Popcorn KernelsDirections:
1
For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2
Line two 2 dozen mini-cupcake pans with paper liners and spray with oil spray
3
Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and set aside
4
In the bowl of an upright mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening on medium speed, about 3 minutes
5
Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium until fluffy, 3 minutes
6
Scrape down the bowl and add the whole egg and egg whites, and beat until incorporated
7
Turn the mixer to low
8
Add the flour mixture, alternating with the water, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture
9
Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low
10
Using a small ice cream scoop, fill the prepared pans three-quarters of the way full with batter and bake until baked through, about 9 minutes
11
Cool the cupcakes completely
12
Set aside for assembly
13
For the buttercream: To melt the chocolate, place it in a double boiler over simmering water on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes
14
Stir occasionally until completely smooth and no pieces of chocolate remain
15
Remove from the heat and let cool until lukewarm, 5 to 15 minutes
16
In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, whisk the sugar and flour together
17
Add the half-and-half and milk and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes
18
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
19
Beat on high speed until cool
20
Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; mix until thoroughly incorporated
21
Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy
22
Add the vanilla and white chocolate and continue mixing until combined
23
If the frosting is too soft, put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill slightly, and then beat until it is the proper consistency
24
If the frosting is too firm, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency
25
For the meringue: Place the sugar, cream soda, corn syrup, salt and egg whites in the top of a double boiler
26
Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute
27
Place the pan over boiling water, being sure that the boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan
28
(If this happens, it could cause your frosting to become grainy
29
) Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes
30
Beat in the vanilla
31
For the popcorn: Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium-high heat
32
Put 3 popcorn kernels into the oil and cover the pan
33
When the kernels pop, add the rest of the popcorn kernels in an even layer
34
Cover, remove from the heat and count 30 seconds
35
Return the pan to the heat
36
The popcorn should begin popping soon, and all at once
37
Once the popping starts in earnest, gently shake the pan by moving it back and forth over the burner
38
Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper)
39
Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid and dump the popcorn immediately into a wide bowl
40
If you are adding butter, you can easily melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds
41
Then, toss the popcorn in the butter and add salt to taste
42
For the idol envelopes: With the edible ink marker, print on the white fondant paper the words "the winner is" in 1-inch squares
43
With scissors, cut out the squares and reserve to the side for assembly
44
Measure the red fondant with a ruler into 1-inch squares; trace and cut
45
With the marker, draw a triangle from the top left corner to the center to the top right corner to give the appearance of a fold in an envelope
46
With a moist paper towel, wet the back of the red square without the marked fold
47
Then stick the white square to the red square with the writing facing out
48
To assemble: Fill each cupcake with the buttercream
49
Generously frost the top of each cupcake with Swiss meringue
50
Adorn with freshly popped popcorn and an idol envelope