Ingredients:

  • 190g All-Purpose Flour
  • 150g Granulated Sugar
  • 6g Baking Powder
  • 2g Fine Sea Salt
  • 113g Unsalted Butter, room temperature
  • 60g Egg Whites
  • 60g Full-Fat Greek Yogurt
  • 120ml Whole Milk
  • 10g Vanilla Bean Paste
  • 90g Egg Whites (for frosting)
  • 100g Granulated Sugar (for frosting)
  • 226g Unsalted Butter, cool room temperature
  • 5ml Vanilla Extract

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two 24-count mini cupcake tins with paper liners.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift together the flour, 150g sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. Whisk on low for 30 seconds to aerate.
  3. Using the reverse creaming method, add 113g of softened butter to the dry ingredients one tablespoon at a time. Mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
  4. In a separate container, whisk together 60g egg whites, Greek yogurt, milk, and vanilla bean paste. Gradually add to the flour-butter mixture and mix until just combined.
  5. Fill mini cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Bake for 12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Prepare the Swiss Meringue: Whisk 90g egg whites and 100g sugar over a double boiler until sugar is dissolved and mixture reaches 160°F.
  7. Whip the egg white mixture into stiff peaks. Gradually add 226g of cool room temperature butter, piece by piece, whipping until a silky frosting forms. Mix in vanilla extract.
  8. Pipe cloud-like swirls onto the cooled cupcakes using a large round or star tip. Optionally garnish with blue spirulina or gold leaf for the celestial theme.