Spring Petit Fours

For the Cakes:
1 1/3 cups cake flour
3/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
8 T butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam (optional)

For the Glaze:
8 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
4 egg whites
1/2 cup milk
2 T vanilla extract


Food colouring as desired (pastel pink, green or yellow)

• *NB: If desired, meringue powder can be used instead of egg whites in the glaze. Omit the egg whites and substitute 1/4 cup (35 g) meringue powder; increase the milk to 1 cup (250 ml).
• Have all the ingredients at room temperature
• Preheat to oven 350 degrees F. Use Baker's Joy (or another Pam-like product with flour added) to spray the pan.  (I brushed it around with a silicone brush so there weren't pools of it in the crevices.)
• Beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla just until incorporated.
• Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Spoon 1 T of the batter into each well of the prepared pan. Gently tap the pan on a flat surface to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake just until the cakes are no longer sticky on top, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cakes cool upright in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Set the rack over a sheet of waxed paper, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Let the cakes cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, wash and dry the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.
• To make the glaze, in a a large bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, egg whites, milk and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in the food colouring.
• Using a rubber spatula, transfer the glaze to a bowl with a pouring spout. Slowly drizzle the glaze over each cake, allowing it to completely cover the top and sides before glazing the next cake. Gently tap the wire rack on a flat surface to remove excess glaze. Let the glaze dry completely, about 1 hour, before serving. Makes 40 petits fours.

NOTES:

• Instead of "gently tapping" as suggested, I put a couple of hotpads on the countertop and pretty firmly whacked it down a few times.  I gently tapped the first batch as suggested and there were bubbles which affected the finished product.  That didn't happen with subsequent batches.
• I used the meringue powder option for the glaze and it worked really well.  Would definitely do again.
• I made the glaze quite a bit thinner than it calls for and was able to dip them instead of trying to pour it over evenly.  (I tried that with the first one and it worked terribly!  Too thick and too much trouble to pour it on evenly.)
• The cutest ones I saw online were all colored, so I colored the batter and then the icing a matching but lighter shade.  (The pink ones started out as an insanely bright color which was toned down by the glaze. I blame the paste food coloring.)
• By using my thinned glaze and dipping them, one batch of glaze was more than enough to coat a double batch (80) of cakes.
• It really did work as easily as the recipe describes.  They dumped out nicely and one tablespoon of batter filled each well just right.
• I'd be tempted to inject a little jam or filling in each and dip the entire cake (bottoms too) in the glaze.
• I used lemon extract in the glaze - highly recommended.
• Original recipe here.