CUPCAKES ARE A FAVORITE CLASSROOM TREAT - BUTTERCREAM MAKES THEM SPECIAL
Every year I look forward to the day I bring cupcakes to school. I think I actually get more excited than my daughter. Usually, I make them for her birthday, but sometimes I just do it for a special occasion - there are so many throughout the school year. Since I love buttercream, I find a way to work it into the recipe. The problem with buttercream - yes, there is one - is that it can melt. Not an ideal situation when you are dropping off a tray of goodies that you spent hours creating. On a hot day, it can be a hot mess.
Many recipes call for butter to be combined with powdered sugar and thinned with milk or cream. Although delicious and easy, it must be refrigerated until just prior to eating. If not, the buttercream will defate and the butter can separate from the sugar which looks far from appetizing. Unless you can offer them straight from the refrigerator, I do not recommend using this type of buttercream.
The perfect buttercream requires the worthwhile effort of adding whipped egg whites. With the risk of salmonella, the egg whites need to be heated to 160 degrees to insure safety. This takes more time, but the added stability from the egg whites keeps the buttercream from dissolving. It tastes better too - dispensing with the powdered sugar.
The recipe I prefer is from Martha Stewart and is very easy to follow. In class, the children piped the buttercream onto yummy vanilla cupcakes. From there, they decorated with cute animal shaped sprinkles, colored sugar and dragees. For school, I sometimes bring the cupcakes along with an assortment of decorations for the kids. Some will be precise about where they place each sprinkle and others will dump on a handful. Whatever their preference, this is one activity they will remember for years to come.
A couple of things to remember - bring extra cupcakes for the teachers and staff members, always ask for permission to bring treats to the classroom and lastly, don't expect the school to provide paper plates and napkins - unless you are informed otherwise - bring your own.
MARTHA STEWART'S SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
(as printed on martha stewart website)
Many recipes call for butter to be combined with powdered sugar and thinned with milk or cream. Although delicious and easy, it must be refrigerated until just prior to eating. If not, the buttercream will defate and the butter can separate from the sugar which looks far from appetizing. Unless you can offer them straight from the refrigerator, I do not recommend using this type of buttercream.
The perfect buttercream requires the worthwhile effort of adding whipped egg whites. With the risk of salmonella, the egg whites need to be heated to 160 degrees to insure safety. This takes more time, but the added stability from the egg whites keeps the buttercream from dissolving. It tastes better too - dispensing with the powdered sugar.
The recipe I prefer is from Martha Stewart and is very easy to follow. In class, the children piped the buttercream onto yummy vanilla cupcakes. From there, they decorated with cute animal shaped sprinkles, colored sugar and dragees. For school, I sometimes bring the cupcakes along with an assortment of decorations for the kids. Some will be precise about where they place each sprinkle and others will dump on a handful. Whatever their preference, this is one activity they will remember for years to come.
A couple of things to remember - bring extra cupcakes for the teachers and staff members, always ask for permission to bring treats to the classroom and lastly, don't expect the school to provide paper plates and napkins - unless you are informed otherwise - bring your own.
(as printed on martha stewart website)
Ingredients
Makes about 9 cups, enough for about 28 cupcakes
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 10 large egg whites
- 4 cups (8 sticks or 2 pounds) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
- Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
- Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
- Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.
- Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.
Posted by Doughremekids Blog at 10/4/2009 10:00 PM 
Categories: recipes,buttercream,kids,vanilla cupcakes,classroom treat
Tags: buttercream classroom cupcakes kids sprinkles recipes treat vanilla
Categories: recipes,buttercream,kids,vanilla cupcakes,classroom treat
Tags: buttercream classroom cupcakes kids sprinkles recipes treat vanilla
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