June 16th, 2021

Cupcakes. They seems such a simple indulgence. Nothing is really quite as satisfying as a perfect cupcake. There is something about achieving perfection in something as delicate as a cupcake. They tend to expose every shortcoming you may have in your baking skills. Which is why we end up covering them will so much frosting. Am I right? Just think of all those culinary competitions on T.V. what are the judges so impressed by? The delicate and humble cupcake. Plain and simple... but so unctous. This cupcake recipe was a labour of love. True chocolate is not my favourite food on Earth, however, this was for you, for the little boy, the little girl. Happy birthday to you and bon appetite!

400 grams/2 cups  granulated sugar or for a low-glycemic option use date paste (see page xx)
300 grams/2 1/4 cups  flour mix #3 (page xx)
100 grams/1 1/4 cups  alkalized cocoa powder
20 grams/5 tsp  baking powder
5 grams/1 tsp  kosher salt
200 grams/⅘ cups  your favourite milk alternative5
200 grams/7/8 cup  butter or for dairy-free option use coconut oil
3 large  whole eggs
20 grams/4 tsp  pure vanilla extract

Before beginning, make sure that all of the ingredients are at room temperature.

Preheat an oven to 177°C (350°F).

Sift together the sugar, flours, cocoa powder, baking powder and kosher salt. Make a well in the centre.

Combine the milk, butter/oil, eggs and vanilla. Pour this wet mixture into the well of the dry ingredients. Whisk until combine. Beat for another two minutes until slightly aerated.

Divide the batter amongst the 24 cups in your muffin tin. This batter is so perfect that it is not necessary to line your muffin tin; however, if you have cute cupcake liners that you just would love to use, go for it!

Bake until the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in the centre, or a toothpick comes out nearly clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.

To make the poached strawberries: In a saucepan bring the pomegranate juice. Slice the strawberries. Place the strawberries in a medium bowl. Pour the hot pomegranate syrup over the berries. Let cool.

To make the whipped sour cream: Beat the cream to soft peak. Add the confectioners’ sugar. Continue whipping until a medium-stiff peak is achieved.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream and vanilla. Fold into the whipped cream. For best results, cover and let chill a full hour.

Spread half the whipped sour cream over one cake. Garnish generously with poached berries. Layer with a second cake. Spread the remaining whipped sour cream on top. Garnish with the remaining poached berries and syrup. Serve chilled.

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360 grams   egg whites, room temperature
310 grams   granulated sugar
5 grams   cream of tartar
10 grams   Madagascar vanilla extract
48 grams  brown rice flour
48 grams   sweet rice flour
24 grams   arrowroot starch
a pinch of kosher salt

1. Line the bottom of two 20 centimetre (eight-inch) cake pans or one angel food cake pan (this one is super handy with its removable base) with parchment. Preheat on oven to 177°C (350°F).

2. Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar in a stand mixer for two minutes, until light and frothy. Slowly stream the sugar into the egg whites, while beating. Continue beating until medium-stiff peak. Fold in the vanilla.

3. Gently fold the flour into the egg whites in three stages. With the last stage also fold in the salt.

4. Divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 12 by 15 minutes. Gently remove from the oven. Let cool completely before removing from the pans.