Almond Poppyseed Cupcakes-Almond Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

Scale

For the cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
3 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 cups milk, at room temperature (or warm it in the microwave until it’s
tepid)
1 tablespoons vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
For the frosting:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoons almond extract
3 tablespoons half-and-half, plus more if needed
sliced almonds and poppy seeds for sprinkling

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Instructions

Line muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside
Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl: flour, baking powder, cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, cream the 1 sticks of butter, 1 cups of sugar, and 1/4 cup honey until light and fluffy, at least 2 minutes, scraping the sides as you go.
Separate the 3 eggs: the whites need to go in a separate large bowl. (If you are lucky enough to have 2 bowls for your stand mixer, use the other one). Set that aside.
Add the yolks to the butter mixture, one at a time, stirring in between each addition. Make sure you scrape the sides well. Beat until it is smooth and creamy.
In a measuring cup, combine the milk, vinegar, and almond extract. It’s okay if it curdles.
Add the milk mixture and the flour mixture alternately to the butter mixture, stirring after each addition until just combined.
Gently fold in the poppy seeds. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Into a clean mixer bowl,add the 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar to the eggs whites. Beat the whites until soft peaks form; it will take several minutes.
Add the beaten egg whites to the cake batter in 3 additions, mixing until just combined.
Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
To make the frosting:
Combine, butter, powdered sugar vanilla and almond extract and half and half. Beat either in a stand mixer or with an electric hand held mixer
until light and fluffily. If you need to add more half and half until you reach your desired consistency. Pipe frosting on cupcakes with a large star tip and sprinkle with almonds and poppy seeds.