Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes Float like a Butterfly

"The butterfly is a flying flower,
The flower a tethered butterfly."

~Ponce Denis Écouchard Lebrun

I wanted to make a REALLY light cupcake. These lemon angel food cupcakes from Cooking Light are decorated only with unsweetened whipped cream with just a hint of lemon extract. The lightness of a butterfly without the 'sting' of calories.



Airy and light! Even with the lemon frosting recipe included below, they are only 144 calories per cupcake. 

From Cooking Light:

Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes

Sifting the flour mixture thoroughly three times incorporates the powdered sugar for a light, tender cupcake. Top with tiny edible pansy blossoms or rosebuds for decoration. Store extra cupcakes in an airtight container, or send them home with guests as party favors.

CUPCAKES:

1/2 cup cake flour (about 2 ounces)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup egg whites (about 5 large eggs)
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

LEMON FROSTING:

1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon 1% low-fat milk
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Edible flowers such as pansies or rosebuds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place 16 paper muffin cup liners in muffin cups. Set aside.

Lightly spoon cake flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Sift together flour and 3/4 cup powdered sugar into a medium bowl; repeat the procedure 2 times.

Beat egg whites and salt with a mixer at high speed until frothy (about 1 minute). Add cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle flour mixture over egg white mixture, 1/4 cup at a time; fold in after each addition. Stir in vanilla and rind.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; let cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting, beat butter with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar; beat at low speed just until blended. Add milk and lemon juice; beat until fluffy. Add more lemon juice as needed to adjust the consistency. Spread 2 tablespoons lemon frosting over each cupcake. Garnish with edible pansies and rosebuds, if desired.

Yield: 16 cupcakes (serving size: 1 cupcake)

CALORIES 144 (18% from fat); FAT 2.9g (sat 1.8g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.1g); IRON 0.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 8mg; CALCIUM 4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.9g; SODIUM 58mg; PROTEIN 1.6g; FIBER 0.1g

Cooking Light, MAY 2006