Murder She Wrote Cupcakes

Almond Cupcakes:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg whites, almond extract, sour cream, and whole milk until combined.
4. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture. Mix until combined, being careful to not overmix.
5. Fill cupcake liners ²/₃ full with batter.
6. Bake for approximately 18 minutes, rotating pans halfway through the bake. Cupcakes are done when a wooden pick inserted in the centre comes out clean with only a few fluffy crumbs attached. Centres will also be springy to the touch.
7. Allow cupcakes to cool in pan for 5–10 minutes. Then transfer cupcakes to wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Almond Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Once the cupcakes are totally cool, make the frosting. In a medium bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Sift confectioners’ sugar into dairy mixture, then add almond extract and salt. Mix until combined, scraping down bowl as necessary.

Sugar Glass Shards:

1. ine a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
   NOTE: We used metal binder clips to hold the parchment in place.
2. In a small pot, combine sugar, water, and corn syrup. While stirring constantly, heat over medium.
3. Bring mixture to a boil, continuing to stir.
4. Once candy temperature hits 300°F, remove from heat and pour into prepared baking sheet. Quickly (but carefully!) tilt pan to evenly spread hot sugar.
5. Cover pan with a clean, lightweight dish towel, making sure towel doesn’t dip into hot sugar. Allow candy to harden, which will take about an hour.
6. Once sugar glass has hardened, drop baking sheet on the counter to break into shards. Repeat or break pieces with your hands until shards are your preferred size.

Assembly & Decoration:

1. Using a cupcake corer, large end of a piping tip, or paring knife, create a well in the centre of each cupcake. Fill with cherries jubilee sauce. (We put 1–2 cherries and some of the scrumptious liquid in each well for our cupcakes.)
2. Rip a little bit off the bottom of every cupcake nub, then place back on top of each cherry-filled well.
3. Pipe or spread cream cheese frosting on cupcakes.
   NOTE: If you like, you can chill your cupcakes at this point to make sure the frosting is nice and firm before you attack it with candy.
4. Stab a couple sugar glass shards into the middle of the cupcakes. Drizzle or splatter with liquid from cherries jubilee sauce.
5. Try not to get scared while you eat your yummy cuppies!