BIRTHDAY ANGELS FOOD CUPCAKES

Party perfect and light as a feather! We dressed up traditional angel food cake with
colorful sprinkles and an easy whipped cream frosting. The cupcakes can be made a day
ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container.

Total Time: 40 min

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Level: Intermediate

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes:
Cooking spray
1/2 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles, plus more for decorating
5 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Special equipment: white cupcake liners

DIRECTIONS

For the cupcakes: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to
350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners and spray the liners lightly
with cooking spray.
Sift the flour, confectioners sugar and salt through a fine sieve into a medium bowl; stir in
the sprinkles and set aside.

Combine the egg whites in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until
frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peak form, about 2
minutes. Gradually add the granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the
speed to medium-high, and continue beating until the peaks are stiff and very shiny, about 5
minutes. Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest. Remove the bowl from the mixer.

Sprinkle 1/4 of the flour mixture over the egg whites and gently fold in with a rubber
spatula. Fold in the remaining flour mixture in 3 additions.

Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups, mounding it so its taller than the
liners. Bake until the cupcakes spring back when pressed gently with your fingertip and a
toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool in the pan for a
few minutes, the transfer to a rack to cool completely.

For the frosting: Put the cream cheese and confectioners sugar in a medium bowl and
beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the heavy cream an
vanilla and continue to beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks. (The frosting can be made
and refrigerated up to 1 hour before serving.)

When ready to serve, top each cupcake with a generous dollop of frosting. Use the back of
a spoon to swirl the frosting a little. Decorate each cupcake with some sprinkles.