Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • 3/4 cup (107g) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup (100g) cake flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, (at room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp (180g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, (at room temperature)
  • 2 large egg whites, (at room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) milk ((anything but skim))
  • Cotton candy
  • 3/4 cup (6 oz) unsalted butter, (at room temperature)
  • 2 1/2 cups (322g) powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp cream or half and half, (then more as needed)
  • 1/2 tsp cotton candy flavor, (or to taste (1 tsp vanilla can be substituted))

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift all-purpose flour and cake flour into a mixing bowl. Add baking powder and salt and whisk dry mixture, 20 seconds, set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Scrape down bowl.
  • Mix in egg, then mix in egg whites one at a time, blending until combined after each addition and adding in vanilla with last egg white.
  • Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture (to the butter/egg mixture), alternating with 1/2 of the milk and mixing just until combined after each addition.
  • Divide batter among 12 paper lined muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full (about 1/4 cup batter in each). Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean, about 18 - 21 minutes. Cool in baking pan several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • To make the mini cotton candy decoration, take pieces of cotton candy and shape into desired size (compacting as little as possible to keep it nice and fluffy), then take a lollipop stick, rinse top of stick under water (this just helps the cotton candy stick) then insert stick into bottom of cotton candy. Repeat to make 12.
  • Once cupcakes are cool frost with cotton candy frosting and insert a mini cotton candy stick into each (note that the cotton candy will begin to shrink after about 30 - 60 minutes depending on how humid or hot it may be so wait to make and add decoration until nearly ready to serve).
  • For the frosting:
  • In an the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter until pale and fluffy. Mix in cream, cotton candy flavor and powdered sugar (adding additional cream 1 tsp at a time as needed). Whip until light and fluffy, tint with pink or blue food coloring if desired.