Almond Cupcakes
These moist and soft almond cupcakes with almond whipped cream cheese frosting have wonderful flavor!
Servings: 30
Ingredients
- 1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter softened (holds it shape but dents when pressed)
- 2 cups (400g) sugar
- 3 teaspoons Almond Extract (12g)
- 4 eggs, room temperature (If in a hurry, place eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.)
- 3 cups cake flour (342g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (8g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (3g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
- 1½ cups buttermilk (353g)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (54g) We use Canola Oil
- ¾ cup sliced almonds, crushed We measured out the ¾ cup, placed them in a ziplock bag, and crushed with a rolling pin.
Almond Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz Cream Cheese, softened We used two 8 oz blocks of cream cheese (full fat).
- 2 cups powdered sugar, measure then sift (230g)
- 2 teaspoons Almond extract (8g) Adjust amount to your liking.
- 3 cups Heavy whipping cream (696g)
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, add paper cupcake liners to cupcake pan(s). This recipe makes about 30 cupcakes.
- Place sliced almonds into a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin, breaking into much smaller pieces (but not so much that it becomes a powder.) You can use a nut chopper/grinder or food processor for this if you'd like!
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside
- In another bowl, add the buttermilk, vegetable oil and almond extract. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, add the softened butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until the yellow of the yolk has blended.
- With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid).
- Mix just until incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix.
- Fold in the crushed almonds.
- Scoop about ¼ cup bake batter into each cupcake liner (in the cupcake pans)
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. We like to remove cupcakes immediately from the pans to prevent over-baking. Baking times can vary depending on pan & oven- check at 15 minutes to be on the safe side, but it may take a few minutes more.
- Makes 30-32 cupcakes (approximately ¼ cup of batter per cupcake)
For the Whipped Almond Cream Cheese Frosting
- Freeze your mixing bowl and beaters 15 minutes before whipping the cream (20-30 minutes if chilling in the refrigerator).
- Using the whisk attachment for a stand mixer, or beaters if using a hand mixer, beat the cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. This can happen very quickly so don't walk away from the mixer. You are at the stiff peak stage when you lift the beater and the cream stands straight up forming a peak. Keep in the refrigerator while completing the next step.
- In another bowl combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and almond extract. Mix until very smooth. Fold this into the whipped cream until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until it is time to use. If the frosting deflates, you can briefly re-mix the chilled frosting.
Notes
Refrigeration & Serving: Because of the whipped cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes need refrigeration. Remove two hours before serving to allow for the frosting and cupcakes to warm and soften.
Recipe makes approximately 7 ½ cups batter.