Recipe: Groundhog Day Angel Food Cupcakes

Ok campers, rise and shine. And don’t forget your booties cause it’s cold out there today! One of my favorite scenes in Groundhog Day sees Bill Murray’s character, Phil, stuffing his face with the entire menu at the movie’s diner, including literally stuffing a piece of Angel Food Cake in his mouth in one bite.

I thought it would be fun to make some angel food cake to celebrate the movie this Groundhog Day, but traditional angel food is make with a tube pan, which I don’t have. So we’re making a cupcake version and decorating with a little chocolate frosting groundhog on top.

Groundhog Day Angel Food Cupcakes

Cupcakes

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup cake flour

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 6 large egg whites, room temperature

• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

• 1 tablespoon warm water

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar

• 1/3 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• black food coloring

To make the cupcakes (makes 18 cupcakes)

Preheat oven to 325°F and line a cupcake tin with paper liners.

Put sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until fine and powdery, about 30 seconds. Remove 1/2 cup of sugar and set aside for later. To the remaining sugar, add the flours and salt and pulse 5 times to combine and aerate.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk your egg whites, cream of tartar and water on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and slowly add in the 1/2 cup of sugar. Continue whisking until you have soft peaks, then add your vanilla and mix just to combine.

Sift flour mixture into the egg whites in four parts, gently folding after each addition, just enough to combine. When all of the flour has been incorporated, dish the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each cup at least 3/4 full. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake removes cleanly.

To make the frosting

Chill your whisk & the bowl of your stand mixer in the freezer for at least 5 minutes before getting started.

To your chilled bowl, add the whipping cream and whisk on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and slowly incorporate your sugar (& cocoa, for chocolate version) and vanilla. Continue whisking until you have stiff peaks. Transfer frosting to piping bags to decorate your cupcakes.