Passion Fruit Cupcakes With Avocado Buttercream Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• Make the passion fruit curd: In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar and egg yolks; whisk in passion fruit puree and salt. Add butter and place pan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until butter has melted, mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and small bubbles form around the edge of the pan, about 5 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat while continuing to whisk. Strain curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. Rinse and dry saucepan.
• Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugar and butter, scraping down the sides as needed, until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture; beat until combined after each addition.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cupcakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in a center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool. Invert cupcakes onto the rack; reinvert and let cool completely.
• Make the meringue buttercream: While cupcakes are baking, fill the reserved saucepan with about 2 inches water and bring to a simmer. Combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer. Set bowl over (not in) simmering water, and whisk until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. (Test by rubbing between your fingers; the mixture should feel smooth.)
• Attach bowl to standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, and beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and mixture is cooled completely, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating to incorporate fully after each addition. (Buttercream may appear curdled at this point; it will become smooth again with continued beating.) Beat in vanilla. Switch to paddle attachment. Beat on lowest speed, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
• Assemble the cupcakes: Using an apple corer, make a small hole in the top of each cupcake, reserving tops. Fill each cupcake with about 1 tablespoon chilled passion fruit curd. Replace reserved tops, then pipe frosting onto cupcakes, as desired.

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line one 12-cup standard muffin tin or one 24-cup mini muffin tin with cupcake liners, and spray with cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light and foamy, about 1 minute; while still whisking, gradually add the butter, then the vanilla and orange zest. Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir with a spoon to combine. Add the milk, then the remaining dry ingredients, and stir to combine, but don't overmix.
• Divide the batter evenly among the cups in the prepared tin. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes (10 to 12 minutes for minis), rotating the tin halfway through. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove them from the tin and let them cool completely on the rack.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Process the avocado flesh and the butter in a food processor until completely smooth. With the processor still running, slowly pour in the cream. Add the confectioners' sugar, and pulse until light green and completely combined, about 1 minute. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes.

Steps:

• Peel and pit the avocado. Place the avocado into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment along with the lemon juice and beat until lightened in color, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and beat until smooth. Add the lemon extract and mix to combine. If not using right away, store in the refrigerator.