Minnie Mouse Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• Vegetarian

• Refrigerated

  • 5 Egg whites, large
  • 3 Eggs plus, large

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 tsp Almond extract
  • 2 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 3 cups Cake flour
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 3 1/4 cups Sugar
  • 4 tsp Tahitian vanilla bean extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

• Snacks

  • 48 Oreos, mini

• Dairy

  • 1 cup Butter, unsalted
  • 15 oz Butter, unsalted
  • 1 cup Whole milk

Found on dessertfirstgirl.com

Description

Ingredients

• 3 cups (330 g) cake flour
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (230 g) whole milk
• 4 teaspoons Tahitian vanilla bean extract
• 1 cup (220 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups (400 g) sugar
• 3 large eggs plus 3 large egg whites
• 1¼ cups (250 g) sugar
• 5 large egg whites
• 15 ounces (425 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1-in pieces
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 48 mini Oreos for decoration

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
• Combine the milk and vanilla bean extract together in another bowl.
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed until soft and creamy.
• Add in eggs and egg whites, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition to combine before adding the next.
• Add in the flour mixture and milk mixture in three alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat just to combine each addition before adding the next.
• Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, fill each cupcake liner about ¾ full with batter. Bake in oven for 16 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the cupcakes comes out clean.
• Let cupcakes cool in tin on a wire rack until cool before decorating.
• Combine the sugar and egg whites in a medium metal bowl and place over a pan of simmering water.
• Whisk the sugar mixture constantly over heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture looks smooth and shiny. Continue whisking until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F.
• Remove mixture from heat and pour into a stand mixer bowl. Whisk on medium speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture has cooled.
• Switch to the paddle attachment and with the speed on low, add the butter a few pieces at a time, beating until smooth. Do not add the butter too quickly or beat too quickly or the buttercream may break.
• When all the butter has been added, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed for about 6-10 minutes until it is very thick and smooth. It may appear to separate briefly but continue beating and it should come back together.
• Add in the vanilla and almond extracts and beat to combine. Add food coloring as desired.
• Place buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a star tip (I use Ateco closed star 846). Pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Place two mini Oreos on top for ears.