Princesses have come a long way in popular culture. As a kid, I had the classics: Cinderella, Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and the coolest princess ever, Princess Leia. Since my 1980s childhood, we’ve seen many strong female role models emerge in children’s stories. Today’s princesses aren’t lying around waiting for some rich guy to kiss them; they’re going off to battle, undoing spells from witches to save their families, and discovering that what makes them different is actually what makes them awesome. Even Princess Leia became a general, not that I’m surprised.
Princess cake and cookie flavor is a vanilla-citrus-flavored baking emulsion (read: flavoring that is water-based, so it won’t bake out) that you can find at cake stores and specialty baking suppliers like King Arthur Flour. This is the first time I’ve used it, and I’m very pleased with the results. I decided to go the traditional princess route and tinted my frosting pink, then added some pearl sprinkles as well.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- dash of salt
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon princess cake and cookie flavor
- 3 tablespoons milk
For the frosting
- 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon princess cake and cookie flavor
- 3-4 teaspoons milk
- Red food coloring
- Pearl sprinkles, if desired
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with 6 paper liners.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until very well-blended. Add egg and princess cake and cookie flavor and beat until combined.
Add flour and milk alternatively in two batches, beginning and ending with the flour and beating until completely combined.
Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, drop scoops of batter into each cupcake well.
Bake for 16-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and immediately place cupcakes on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
To make frosting: beat butter in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 1 minute. Add powdered sugar all at once and beat on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter; this will take a few minutes. Once all the sugar is incorporated, beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, then add flavor and 2 teaspoons milk; if frosting is too thick, add remaining milk. Add a few drops of red food coloring to tint frosting pink.
Fit a large pastry bag with a Wilton M1 tip and pipe generous swirls of frosting onto each cupcake. Top with pearl sprinkles.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Makes 6.
amy bakes in the 'burgh 