Bubble Gum Ball Surprise Cupcakes with Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream & Pink Rock Candy Crystals

Bubble Gum Ball Surprise Cupcakes with Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream & Pink Rock Candy Crystals
Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
24 vanilla chiffon cupcakes (recipe below)
24 pink gum balls (available here)
1 batch strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream (recipe below)
pink rock candy crystals  (available here)

Method:

• Bake the cupcakes and allow the to cool completely.

• Using a melon baller, scoop out a little cake from the center of each cupcake.

• Place a bubble gum ball into each cupcake.

• Fill a piping bag or a kitchen storage bag with the frosting. Use any decorative tip you like with the piping bag, or cut off the tip of the storage bag. Twish the top of the bag, and using gentle pressure at the twist, pipe frosting onto each of the cupcakes.

• Sprinkle the frosting with the rock candy crystals.

Cake Tips
Cream of tartar helps to stabilize egg whites as they are beaten.  It may be found in the spice aisle.

When you are beating egg whites, the term soft peaks refers to a stage in the beating process.  Look for ripples that remain as you move the beaters and a glossy appearance.

When you are beating egg whites, the term firm peaks refers to a stage in the beating process.  Look for a peak of glossy egg white that remains upright when you pull the beater out of the egg whites vertically.  Here is an excellent video on beating egg whites.

Folding is the process of gently incorporating ingredients into a fragile batter or mixture.  Folding is the gentlest mixing technique, and protects air bubbles.  To fold, place a spatula in the center of your bowl.  Slice down through your batter or mixture to the bottom of the bowl.  Pull through the bottom of the bowl, scooping as you come around and up.  Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat.  Continue this process, until your ingredients are uniformly folded into the batter or mixture.

Vanilla Chiffon Cupcakes
Adapted from The Joy Of Cooking
Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 ¼ c. sifted cake flour
1 ¼ c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
5 large egg yolks at room temperature
¾ c. water
½ c. vegetable oil
2 t. vanilla extract
8 large egg whites at room temperature
½ t. cream of tartar
¼ c. sugar

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

• Place the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until they are well combined.

• In the bowl of an electric mixer or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat together the egg yolks, water, vegetable oil, and vanilla until they are smooth.

• Stir this mixture into the flour mixture until it is well combined and smooth.

• In another large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the ¼ c. sugar and beat until glossy, firm peaks form. Do not beat until the peaks are dry.

• Using a rubber spatula, fold ¼ of the egg whites into the cake batter. Then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

• Divide the batter into cupcake pans lined with paper liners. Fill each cup about ½ full.

• Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking
Yield: enough to modestly frost about 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
8 large egg whites at room temperature
1 ½ c. sugar
¼ c. water
½ t. cream of tartar
1 ½ pounds (6 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
6 ounces strawberry jam, strained

Method:

• In a large stainless steel bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, water, and cream of tartar.

• Set the bowl over a wide, deep skillet filled with about 1 inch of simmering water. Make sure the water level is at least as high as the depth of the egg whites in the bowl.

• Beat the egg whites on low speed with an electric mixer until the mixture reaches 140 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Do not stop beating while the bowl is in the skillet, or the egg whites will overcook.

• Beat on high speed just until the mixture reaches 160 degrees, two to four minutes.

• Remove the bowl from the skillet and beat on high speed for three to five more minutes. The mixture should hold glossy, marshmallowy peaks.

• In another large bowl, beat the butter until it is creamy, about 30 seconds.

• Beat a large dollop of the meringue into the butter until well combined. Continue to beat in about half of the meringue in large dollops. Scrape the remaining meringue into the mixture and beat until smooth and fluffy.

• Very gently fold in the strained strawberry jam.

This frosting keeps in the refrigerator for up to six days.  Soften it before using.