White Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

(Makes 12)

Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 c. whole milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
6 T. unsalted butter @ room temp.
1 c. sugar
3 large egg whites @ room temp.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 12 muffin tin cups with paper cupcake liners.

Cupcakes
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, stir the milk, vanilla and almond extracts together.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until lightened in colour; the mixture will look sugary and form large clumps. On low-speed, add the flour mixture in three additions and the milk mixture in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing just until the flour is incorporated. Set aside.

In another large bowl, beat the egg whites with clean beaters on medium speed until foamy. Beat on high speed until the egg whites look shiny and smooth and the beaters form lines in the egg whites. Egg whites should cling to the beaters when you stop the mixer and lift. Stir about 1/3 of the egg whites into the reserved batter. Use a rubber spatula to fold the remaining egg whites just until blended.

Fill each paper liner with 1/3 c. of batter. Bake just until the top feels firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove the cupcakes from the pan onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Frosting
Put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler and place it over, but not touching, a saucpan of barely simmering water or the bottom of the double boiler. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the butter, cream cheese and vanilla to the chocolate and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, mixing until the frosting is smooth. Spread about 2 T. of frosting on each cupcake, mounding slightly.

Chocolate Curls
Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Hold the white chocolate between your hands for a minute or two to warm it slightly. Then hold the chocolate in one hand and use a vegi peeler to scrape curls from the block, letting them fall in a single layer onto the baking sheet. Scrape the peeler away from you in 1 1/2 to 2 inch strokes along all sides until you have 2 cups of large curls. If the curls begin to break, the chocolate is too hard; hold it briefly between your hands to soften it again. Put the baking sheet in the freezer for about 30 minutes to firm the curls.

Spoon the curls on top of the frosted cupcakes and dust lightly with powdered sugar.