Winter Wonderland {vanilla bean cupcakes with white chocolate buttercream}

Snow!

To all my dear readers, who just thought to themselves "what's the big deal?" let me explain. I live in Israel, so snow is not something we get every year. I think the last time it snowed was in 2008. So this is very exciting! Isn't snow pretty? The only downside is how cold it is. I didn't last that long outside, but my dog had the greatest time in the world. True bliss. 

I made vanilla bean cupcakes with white chocolate buttercream (a white theme, you see) to match the weather. The actual cake is really yummy and fluffy, but the buttercream is divine! It is so creamy and delicious. I think white chocolate may be underrated. The cupcakes were a huge success. You can't go wrong with classic vanilla.

 

 gorgeous.

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

From My Baking Addiction

Printable Recipe

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
seeds scraped from one vanilla bean
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Center a rack in the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and egg whites.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla bean seeds at medium speed for 3 minutes, or until the butter and sugar are very light. Add in the vanilla extract and one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until well incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter fully incorporated and smooth, then add the last of the dry ingredients.

Once ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Using a large scoop (about 3 tablespoons), distribute the batter between 18 muffin wells, filling each well 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers come out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Makes 18 - 20 cupcakes.

White Chocolate Buttercream

From Country Cleaver

Printable Recipe

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar 
Pinch of salt
6 oz. good quality white chocolate, chopped
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ tsp. vanilla extract

Put the chopped white chocolate into a small bowl. Heat the chocolate in 30 second increments in the microwave set to 60% power. Stir after each increment, and continue to heat 30 seconds at a time, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside and allow to completely cool.
Once white chocolate has cooled, sift the salt and powdered sugar over the butter, in a large bowl. Cream the butter and sugar mixture together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Measure the whipping cream into a cup, and stir in the vanilla extract.

With the mixer running on low speed, gradually pour the cream mixture the bowl.

Once the cream mixture has been incorporated into the frosting, fold on the melted (but cooled) white chocolate until incorporated.

Increase the mixer speed to medium-high, and beat frosting for an additional 3 minutes.

Makes about 2 ½ cups of frosting.