Angel Food Cupcakes with Strawberry Whipped Cream
The airy, delicate texture of these Angel Food Cupcakes pairs perfectly with sweet and light Strawberry Whipped Cream. I've always had better luck weighing the sugar and flour for these cupcakes, but I've included volume information in case you don't have a kitchen scale.
Equipment
Ingredients
Angel Food Cupcakes
- 150 grams granulated sugar (3/4 cups)
- 50 grams sifted cake flour (1/2 cup)
- 3/4 cups egg whites (from 5 to 6 large eggs)
- 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Strawberry Whipped Cream
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 1/4 cups chilled heavy cream divided
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- fresh strawberries for garnish
Instructions
Angel Food Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 325º F. Line cupcake pans with 14 paper liners.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade, whirl the sugar to make the grains finer (about 1 minute). Remove half of the sugar to a small bowl and set it aside.
- Add cake flour to the food processor and whirl to combine the sugar and flour. Set aside.
- Wipe the bowl and whisk of a standing electric mixer clean before adding the egg whites. Beat the egg whites at low speed until the eggs begin to froth.
- Add the cream of tartar and salt to the egg whites and increase the speed to medium. Beat until the whites form soft, billowy, slightly translucent mounds. Keeping the mixer on medium-speed, slowly add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time.
- Continue beating on medium speed until the whites are soft, glossy, and form very soft peaks that flop over on themselves. Take care not to overbeat; the batter should still flow when you tilt the bowl.
- Add vanilla and lemon juice and beat until just blended.
- Sift a fine layer of the flour-sugar mixture over the batter (no more than 2 tablespoons at a time) and fold it in gently using a large silicone spatula. Repeat with remaining flour-sugar mixture.
- Using a large ice cream scoop or spoon, add batter to the prepared cupcake liners, filling them almost to the top.
- Bake until the cupcakes are pale golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Strawberry Whipped Cream
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade, whirl the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder.
- Pour about 1/4 cup of the heavy cream into the bowl of a standing electric mixer. Sift the berry powder over the heavy cream (it's okay if some of the seeds make their way through). Sift in the confectioners' sugar and add a pinch of salt. Mix to combine.
- Add the remaining heavy cream and mix on low speed to begin incorporating the heavy cream. Increase speed to medium and beat until the mixture just holds stiff peaks.
- Pipe the whipped cream on the cooled cupcakes or spread it on with a spatula. Garnish with fresh berries.