Lychee Cupcakes with Lychee Rose Buttercream
Real lychee fruit gets incorporated into this white cake batter for fluffy, soft cupcakes.
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
Lychee Cupcakes
- 1 20 oz can lychee, drained (save the syrup!)
- 1 stick softened unsalted butter (4 oz)
- 3/4 cup sugar (145g)
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup egg whites (from about 2 eggs)
- 1 1/4 cup cake flour (155g)
- 1/8 tsp almond extract
- 1/8 tsp rose water
Lychee rose buttercream
- 2 sticks softened unsalted butter (8 oz)
- 1 pinch salt
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp lychee syrup
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 tsp rose water
Instructions
For the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake tin with 12 liners.
- Measure out 200 g of drained lychee from the can. If you don't have a kitchen scale, this will be about the entire can, minus 4-5 lychees.
- Puree the lychee in a blender. You should have about 3/4 cup of lychee puree.
- Cream butter, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg whites and blend until emulsified.
- Mixing on low, alternate adding small batches of lychee puree and cake flour until fully incorporated.
- Add almond extract and rose water and mix.
- Scoop batter into cupcake liners and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool while preparing the buttercream.
For the lychee rose buttercream
- Beat softened butter and salt until fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and 2-3 tbsp of the reserved lychee syrup until the buttercream is your desired consistency. Remember that your kitchen temperature will also affect how thick or thin your buttercream appears.
- Mix in almond extract and rose water.
- Frost cupcakes when cool. Enjoy!