Lemon Angelfood Cloudcakes... I mean Cupcakes!

Tuesday, I was supposed to make the cupcakes that won the poll last week (which has been extended so keep voting!). However, I was having an insane craving for that S.A.D. Key Lime Pie I made for Fathers Day.... yeah... remember that? Oh it was so good! So I made the pie, and then I had 5 egg whites just hanging out in the fridge wondering what they would become. I remembered the bag of lemons I just bought. So I put 2 and 2 together and got the idea for Lemon Angelfood Cupcakes! I found a recipe in Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans (which is quickly becoming the favorite of all my cupcake books). If you are a faithful reader, and even if you aren't and you just have a crazy good memory, you will know that I am usually not fond of lemon desserts. Well, people... TIMES HAVE CHANGED! These cupcakes remind me of marshmallows, if marshmallows could be lemony cake! They are so soft and sweet and good! The glaze is a little sour for my taste, so next time I'd go half lemon juice and half water. Other than that, these are perfect!


MY NOTES: Mine were done at 25 minutes, so check them early. Next time I'd make the glaze with 2 teaspoons water and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. It was a bit sour.

Lemon Angelfood Cupcakes
MAKES 9-10 LARGE CUPCAKES

CUPCAKES
1/2 cup cake flour
3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup egg whites (about 5 large)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (I used the zest of 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
GLAZE
1 cup powdered sugar (I only used 3/4 cup)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons plus about 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (I used the juice of half a lemon)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (My own addition)

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Have ready a muffin pan with 12 muffin cups. Put paper liners in 2 or 3 of the cups to protect the pan.
2. Sift the flour and 2 tablespoons of the sugar into a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until the whites are foamy and the cream of tartar dissolves. Beat on high speed until the egg whites look shiny and smooth and the beaters form lines in the mixture; if you stop the mixer and lift up the beaters, the whites should cling to the beaters. Slowly beat in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, then beat for 1 minute. Mix in the lemon zest, vanilla, and almond extract. Beating on low speed, sprinkle 1/4 cup of the flour mixture over the egg white mixture at a time, beating after each addition to incorporate it.
3. Using about 1/2 cup for each, spoon the batter into the unlined muffin cups. The batter may even be above the tops of the cups, but this stiff batter will not spill over the sides. Do not smooth the tops-let the batter remain in fluffy mounds (I did smooth mine because I was afraid the peaks would burn). Bake for about 35 minutes (Mine were done at 25 minutes!! And I was using an oven thermometer!), until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. The cupcakes will rise quite a bit (Actually they didn’t rise as much as the book made it seem).
4. Arrange 2 cans on a wire rack and invert the pan over the cans so the ends of the pan rest on the cans. This lets air circulate while the cupcakes cool upside down. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Use a small knife to loosen the edges of the cupcakes from the pan. Carefully remove the cupcakes from the pan, using the knife to help release them if necessary, and set them right side up on the rack.
5. In a small bowl, stir the powdered sugar and melted butter with enough lemon juice, beginning with 2 tablespoons, to make a smooth, pourable glaze. Use a small spoon to drizzle the glaze over the top of each cupcake. The cupcakes can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Overall rating on a scale of 1-5
Moistness: 5 (as moist as angelfood could be?)
Tenderness: 5
Frosting: 4 (a bit too sour)