Angel Food Muffins With Variations Recipes

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners, and lightly coat with cooking spray.
• Sift the flour, confectioners' sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt through a fine sieve into a medium bowl; 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 peaks 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 stand.
• Sprinkle 1/4 of the flour mixture on top of the eggs, and gently fold in with a rubber spatula. Evenly fold in the remaining flour mixture in 3 additions.
• Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups in messy mounds taller than the liners, and bake until the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• For the halo decorations: Cut 12 sticks 1 inch long and about 1/8 inch thick out of the crystallized ginger. Trim the ends so they are straight across.
• Trace 12 circles on a piece of parchment with a 1-inch round cookie cutter. Turn the paper over; set aside. Fit one of the pastry bags with the tip.
• Microwave the candy coating in a small bowl, uncovered, at 40 percent power in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and completely smooth. Transfer the candy coating to the pastry bag, and pipe it into 12 circles, using the parchment template as a guide. Set aside to let harden slightly. Pipe 1 small dollop of the candy coating directly onto each circle, and push a ginger stick into each so it is standing straight up. Let the halos harden completely.
• For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a stand mixer's heatproof bowl above the water (or a large heatproof bowl if using a handheld mixer). Whisk the egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt together in the bowl; set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat the egg white mixture with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until it is cool and forms stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.
• Decorate the cupcakes: Transfer the frosting to the remaining pastry bag, and pipe generous swirls on top of each cupcake, lifting the bag up quickly to make a peak. Push the ginger stem of a halo into each, and serve right away.

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and continue whipping until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually add 1 cup of the sugar and continue whipping until stiff and the sugar has dissolved, about 30 seconds.
• Sift the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the pre-sifted cake flour 3 times, to aerate the mixture. Fold into the egg whites, then fold in the vanilla, zest, and blueberries. Scoop the batter into paper lined large muffin cups. Bake until light golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Glaze: Stir the ingredients together until smooth. Dip the tops of the muffins into the glaze.

Steps:

• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare the muffin tins by spraying the cups and the rims around them with nonstick spray.
• Sprinkle a pinch of flour into each of the cups and shake the tin around, coating the interior surface of the muffin cups with flour.
• Shake out excess flour by rapping the tin against the side of the sink.
• Whisk 1 cup flour with 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl until blended and set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
• Raise the speed to high, beat in the cream of tartar, and continue beating until soft peaks form.
• With the mixer running, add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a slow stream, then beat in the vanilla.
• Continue beating for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is stiff and shiny and until no sugar granules can be felt when a bit of beaten egg white is rubbed between your fingertips.
• Use a rubber spatula to fold in a third of the flour mixture. Do not beat; fold in long, even arcs, so that the whites stay fluffy but the flour is evenly distributed.
• Fold in half of the remaining flour mixture using the same technique.
• Then very gently fold in the remaining flour mixture, just so that the flour is mixed in, but not so that it dissolves.
• Fill the prepared tins to the top; divide any remaining batter equally among the tins, piling it as high above the rims as necessary.
• Bake for 28 minutes, or until well browned.
• Place the tins on a wire rack to cool for 45 minutes.
• Gently rock the muffins back and forth to release them from the tins.
• Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours or freeze them in freezer-safe bags for up to 2 months.
• CINNAMON ANGEL FOOD MUFFINS ~ Add 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon with the flour.
• LEMON ANGEL FOOD MUFFINS ~ Add 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest and 1 teaspoon lemon extract with the vanilla. If desired, drizzle the cooled muffins with a lemon icing.
• ORANGE ANGEL FOOD MUFFINS ~ Add 2 teaspoons grated orange zest and 1 teaspoon orange extract with the vanilla.
• VANILLA GLAZED ANGEL FOOD MUFFINS ~ Coat the cooled muffins with a vanilla glaze or icing.

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and continue whipping until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually add 1 cup of the sugar and continue whipping until stiff and the sugar has dissolved, about 30 seconds.
• Sift the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the pre-sifted cake flour 3 times, to aerate the mixture. Fold into the egg whites, then fold in the vanilla, zest, and blueberries. Scoop the batter into paper lined large muffin cups. Bake until light golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Glaze: Stir the ingredients together until smooth. Dip the tops of the muffins into the glaze.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine cake mix and water. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Fold in the applesauce, pecans and pie spice., Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until lightly browned and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour., Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. Garnish with whipped topping and/or apple slices if desired.

Steps:

• Mix angel food cake mix with crushed pineapple. Stir until well blended. Add coconut and/or pecans if desired.
• Place mixture in lined muffin cups.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 - 15 minutes or until light golden brown on top (color of toasted marshmallows).