Marshmallow Frosting

It's National Cupcake Week! I've been seeing cupcake posts all over the blogosphere, and now I know why.

How fortunate that I made cupcakes for our party this past weekend. I didn't get too fancy with the flavors, using my favorite vanilla and chocolate recipes. I tried a meringue-type frosting instead of a usual buttercream. I had to tag team the hand mixer-beating with Hubs, because my arm got tired halfway through. I love how light, fluffy, and not-too-sweet the frosting turned out. The squirt especially liked it.


Marshmallow Frosting
Adapted from Cupcakes!
By Elinor Klivans

1 ½ c sugar
¼ c minus 1 tsp water
3 large egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract


Put the sugar, water, egg whites, and cream of tartar in a large heatproof container (2 qt capacity) and beat with a handheld mixer on high speed until opaque, white, and foamy. Put the bowl over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water. The top of the container should sit firmly over the pan of hot water. Beat on high speed until the frosting forms a stiff peak that stands straight up if you stop the beaters and lift them out of the frosting. This should take about 12 minutes. The frosting should register 160 degrees F on a thermometer. Remove the container from the water and add the vanilla and almond extracts. Continue beating for another 2 minutes to further thicken the filling. Spoon the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a tip and pipe frost the cupcakes. The filling will harden slightly as it cools on the finished cupcakes.