Candy Corn Cupcakes

Candy Corn Cupcakes

A delicious treat inspired by your favorite Halloween candy

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

INGREDIENTS FOR CUPCAKES
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups milk

INGREDIENTS FOR BUTTERCREAM
¾ cup sugar
3 large egg whites
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
Orange and Yellow food coloring

Method:

METHOD FOR CUPCAKES
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Line cupcake pans with liners; set aside. 
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. 
4. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated; scrape down sides of bowl, and beat in vanilla.
5. Add flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
6. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about three-quarters full. 
7. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. 
8. Remove cupcakes from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.

METHOD FOR BUTTERCREAM
1. Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
2. Transfer bowl to mixer stand. 
3. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. (Don’t worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating.) Add vanilla and beat until combined.
5. Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes.
6. Divide evenly into three batches. Add orange food coloring to one batch and yellow food coloring to the second batch. Mix food coloring in well. Keep one batch white.
7. If using buttercream within several hours, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature. If using later on, transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
8. If refrigerated, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, or about 5 minutes.
9. Using a pastry bag with a round tip, pipe buttercream onto cupcakes to create candy corn look.
10. Serve and enjoy.

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