Snowball Cupcakes – Martha Thompson

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

Line two standard 12-cup muffin tins with silver cupcake liners.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl; set aside.

Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar together for approximately four minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until just combined. Add vanilla and coconut extract. Alternate adding buttermilk and dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, being careful not to overmix.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pan for a couple of minutes, then move to wire rack to cool completely.

To Prepare Icing:

Separate egg whites and discard yolks or save for another use. Bring egg whites to room temperature.

Place sugar, cream of tartar, salt, water and room temperature egg whites in the top of a double boiler on countertop.

Beat with a handheld electric mixer for one minute. Place top pan with egg white mixture over bottom of your double boiler filled with boiling water on stovetop.

Make sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of your top pan. (If this happens, it could cause your frosting to become grainy.)

As it heats, beat icing constantly on high speed with electric mixer for seven minutes. Stiff peaks will form.

Remove from heat and beat in vanilla.

Generously top cooled cupcakes with soft peaks of icing.

Sprinkle each cupcake generously with coconut flakes to form your snowballs.

(Cupcakes can be made a day in advance and stored in airtight container. Icing is better made within hours of serving.)