Desserts
Sweet Corn Cupcakes with Corn Cream
Sweet corn is synonymous with summer, but rarely does it make an appearance in desserts. These sweet corn cupcakes capitalize on its prized sweet flavor and short season. But keep in mind — the corn is only as good as the ears you choose. Freshly picked farmstand ears, used within two days, are best.
Ingredients
FOR THE CUPCAKES, PURÉE:
WHISK:
BEAT:
FOR THE CORN CREAM, SCRAPE:
BEAT:
Test Kitchen Tip
The stiffness of the corn cream has everything to do with the corn. If it’s not beating up stiff enough, it’s OK to add more meringue powder.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and coat with nonstick spray.
For the cupcakes, purée corn kernels in a food processor.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Beat sugar, oil, and eggs in a separate bowl with a mixer until well combined. Beat in half the flour mixture, just until combined. Beat in 1 cup corn purée and lemon juice, then remaining flour mixture, just until combined.
Pour batter into prepared muffin liners. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in pan 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
For the corn cream, scrape corn cobs with a spoon to extract the corn milk into a saucepan.
Add corn cobs and cream to pan and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes.
Scrape corn cobs again, then strain and press corn cream through a fine-mesh sieve. (If you don’t have 1 cup strained liquid, top it off with additional cream.) Chill corn cream at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Beat corn cream, sour cream, powdered sugar, meringue powder, and salt with a mixer until stiff enough to pipe. Pipe corn cream onto cupcakes.
To yield 1 cup corn cream, scrape the cobs after simmering, then press the liquid when straining.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per cupcake
Calories: 384
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g 43%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 79mg 26%
Sodium 176mg 7%
Carbs 33g 11%
Protein 4g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.