Rosy Cupcakes with Hibiscus Meringue Frosting
Posted by Alayne Gardner-Carimi on
This recipe uses classic cupcake ingredients but with Japanese techniques applied, for the plushest cupcakes you’ll ever make!
Ingredients (makes 12)
(You will need about ¼ cup of vomFASS Wild Rose Liqueur in total)
CUPCAKES
1 cup all purpose flour
1¼ tsp baking powder
⅛ tsp salt
2 large eggs at room temperature*
¾ cup caster / superfine sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes
½ cup milk, full fat**
1½ Tbsp vomFASS Wild Rose Liqueur
1½ tsp vomFASS Grape Seed Oil
1½ Tbsp vomFASS Wild Rose Liqueur to brush tops of cupcakes
HIBISCUS MERINGUE
2 large egg whites, room temperature*
2 tsp vomFASS Wild Rose Liqueur
¼ cup water
½ cup white sugar
1 pinch fine sea salt
1 tsp hibiscus powder
Pink or red decorating sugar if desired.
Directions
CUPCAKES
Preheat oven to 350°F for 20 minutes before starting the batter.
Place shelf in the middle of the oven.
Place cupcake liners in a standard muffin tin.
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Place butter and milk in a heatproof jug and microwave 2 minutes on high to melt butter.
Do not let milk bubble and boil (foam ok). Cover and leave in microwave to keep very warm (stove: cover with lid and leave on turned-off stove). Milk must be very warm when mixed with batter.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs for 30 seconds on medium speed.
With the beater still going, pour the sugar in over 30 seconds.
Beat eggs for 6 minutes on medium speed 8, or until tripled in volume and almost pure white.
When the egg is whipped, scatter 1/3 cup flour across surface, then beat on low speed for 5 seconds.
Stop beating, add half remaining flour, then mix on low speed for 5 seconds.
Add remaining flour, then mix on low speed for 5 – 10 seconds until the flour is just mixed in.
Once you can’t see flour, stop straight away.
Pour hot milk, vomFASS Wild Rose Liqueur and vomFASS Grape Seed Oil into the now empty flour bowl.
Add about 3/4 cup of the egg batter into the hot milk (don't need to be 100% accurate with amount).
Use a whisk to mix until smooth – you can be vigorous here. Will look foamy.
With the beater on low speed, pour the milk/egg mixture into the egg batter over 15 seconds, then turn beater off.
Scrape down sides and base of bowl.
Beat on low speed for 10 seconds – batter should now be smooth and pourable.
Scoop batter into muffin tin, filling 2/3 of the way up. Do not fill more (causes flat / sunken surfaces)—Easiest to use a standard ice cream scoop with lever.
Bake 22 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean.
Remove from oven.
Cool just 2 minutes then use a fork to help remove and place on cooling rack (otherwise they will continue cooking and may overcook. Cupcakes are small—they overcook easily!).
While warm, poke 8-9 holes in each cupcake with a toothpick, then, using a pastry brush, paint the top of the cupcake lightly with vomFASS Wild Rose Liqueur.
Cool completely before icing with frosting.
FROSTING
Place egg whites and vomFASS Wild Rose Liqueur in bowl of stand mixer and beat on low speed until peaks start to form.
Meanwhile, whisk together water and sugar in medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until syrup reaches 235°F on candy thermometer.
Increase mixer to medium-high speed and slowly add syrup to egg whites.
Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Add hibiscus powder and continue beating until combined.
Fill piping bag with frosting and pipe onto cupcakes.
If desired, use kitchen torch to lightly toast meringue or top with colored sugar sprinkles.
*Room temperature eggs will have more volume which is key to the fluffy texture of these cupcakes. To warm up fridge cold eggs, cover with warm tap water for 5 minutes. Wipe dry before cracking.
**Do not reduce sugar - 3/4 cup is the minimum required for the eggs to whip into a stiff enough foam to make cupcakes rise sufficiently.
***If you substitute with lower fat milk the texture of the crumb becomes a little less tender. Do not substitute with non-dairy milk.