Vanilla cupcakes with rosewater icing

Presenting *cue some sort of star wars music*... the BEAST!!

Say goodbye to manual labour and hello to creaming butter and sugar with this bad boy. Y and I ventured into the unknown territory yesterday and made italian meringue frosting! It's so easy to make and it turned out so white and fluffy.

Initially, the instruction of boiling the sugar with water, then pouring it into the egg whites whilst the mixer is switched on seemed daunting and after a few minutes coupled with multiple sighs of relief - TADAA, frosting!

It's funny how quickly a mixer speeds the whole baking process up. Previously, I use to preheat the oven after the creaming of butter step. With the beast around, everything goes by so quickly and I only realised the oven wasn't switched on when it was time to scoop the batter into the cupcake liners.
I used the recipe from technicolor kitchen. I have to admit that the cupcakes itself didn't turn out. Didn't like the texture and it seemed a tad too egg-y. I halved the recipe but made the full amount for the frosting.
Vanilla cupcakes with rosewater icing
makes 24 cupcakes

250g unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups & 2 Tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
2 1/4 cups & 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup whole milk

Rosewater icing:
1 cup & 1 1/2 Tbsp caster sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp rosewater
3 egg whites

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C.
2. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl and beat until light and creamy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well.
4. Sift over the flour and baking powder and beat until combined.
5. Fold through the milk and spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool on wire racks.
7. To make the rosewater icing, place the sugar, water, cream of tartar and rosewater in a saucepan over high heat and stir just until the sugar is dissolved.
8. Bring to the boil – at this point, do not stir – reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat until soft peaks form. While the motor is running, gradually add the sugar mixture to the whites and beat until slightly cooler, thick and glossy. Spread the icing over the cupcakes with a palette knife.