Directions For the Cupcakes:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack positioned in the middle. Line two (12-count) muffn tins with cupcake liners. (Recipe makes about 24 cupcakes total.)
2) Sift together cake four, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Whisk together buttermilk, vanilla, and almond extract.
Using either a stand mixer with whisk attachment or a mixing bowl and hand-beaters, beat butter until fluffy. Add granulated sugar and lemon zest to butter and beat until well-incorporated and fluffy. Add egg whites to butter mixture one at a time, beating until fully incorporated and fuffy before adding next egg white.
Once egg whites have been added, add a third of the four mixture. Beat until just barely incorporated.
Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the walls of the bowl and add half of the milk mixture. Beat until just incorporated. Alternate additions of a third of the four, half of the milk mixture, and the remaining third of the four mixture until all ingredients have just been incorporated.
(Note: It’s very important not to over-beat the batter as that will lead to tough, dense cupcakes rather than tender, crumbly ones.)
7) Fill prepared muffn tins evenly with batter about two-thirds full. Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees on the middle rack for 18 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
If your oven is large enough to bake both tins at the same time on the middle rack, do so; otherwise, bake cupcakes in two batches. remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely—about 1 hour.
Assembly:
(Note: Work with cupcakes one at a time so you don’t confuse which top goes with which cupcake.)
1) Using a paring knife, cut out a cone from the top of the cupcake, leaving a about a 1/4-inch border on all sides and cutting about halfway into the cupcake. (Picture cutting the lid off of a pumpkin when creating a jack-o'-lantern.) Remove the cone-shaped lid and cut off 1/4-inch of cone tip that used to be in the middle of the cupcake.
Using a 1/2-teaspoon measuring spoon, scoop out about 1/2 teaspoon of cake from the middle of the cupcake. Spoon in 1 tablespoon raspberry jam. Replace the cupcake’s cone-shaped lid to conceal the jam in the middle of the cake and restore the cupcake to normal. Repeat the process with remaining cupcakes.
Frost each cupcake with 1 or 2 tablespoons of the whipped white chocolate ganache, spreading it evenly over the top of the cupcakes. Sprinkle chopped almonds over the outside 1/4-inch rim of frosting all the way around the cupcake. Place a ripe raspberry directly in the center of each cupcake.
Cupcakes can be kept at room temperature for up to 12 hours. Store chilled for up to 2 days. Let cupcakes return to room temperature before serving.
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