Directions for the Gluten-free Vanilla Cupcakes

• The temperature of your butter is often the key to proper mixing. If your butter is too cold, it won’t whip up light enough; but if it’s too soft, it can’t hold enough air to give a good rise to your cupcake. 
   
• Make sure your eggs and heavy cream is at room temp; you don’t want to add cold eggs to perfectly whipped butter or the butter will seize and you’ll lose the fluffy air you created.
   
• if your eggs are not at room temperature when you are ready to mix your cupcake batter, warm them in the shell by placing the eggs in a bowl of hot tap water for 5 minutes before starting this recipe.
   
• Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F)
   
• Line two muffin pans with 15 standard-size cupcake liners and sets aside. 
   
• Place the almond flour in a medium bowl, add the white rice flour and whisk to combine. Set aside for now.
   
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter mix on medium speed; it's super-tempting to turn the mixer on high speed and let it whip the butter but resist the urge. If you mix on medium-speed instead, You’ll get smaller air bubbles in the mixture; these will be stronger and create a far superior cupcake texture. It may take some extra minutes, but the cupcake will be worth it. Mix until light and fluffy and has the consistency of mayonnaise, and holds a peak when the whisk is lifted.
   
• Make sure at times, while creaming the butter, to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and shake out the batter that collects inside your whisk as well. Add the sugar and mix for about 7 minutes more or until the mixture is fluffy; make sure at times while creaming the butter and sugar mixture to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
   
• As soon as the butter and sugar are creamy and light in color, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
   
• →Note before you add in the eggs → make sure your eggs are at room temp; you don’t want to add cold eggs or cold cream to perfectly whipped butter, or the butter will seize, and you’ll lose the fluffy air you created. Whip on low-speed when you add the eggs; overwhipping the eggs can cause the cupcakes to expand too much during baking and den deflate after baking. Make sure you only mix as long as described below!
   
• With the mixer on the lowest setting, mix slowly, add 3 eggs, and mix until just combined for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl again.
   
• Add the remaining two eggs and mix until just combined for about 10 to 20 seconds.
   
• The mixture may look broken and not very appealing at this stage, but that´s fine, be not tempted to not overwhip!
   
• Scrap down the sides and bottom of the bowl again, and shake out the batter that collects inside your whisk as well.
   
• Add the almond-rice flour mixture, vanilla bean paste, and heavy cream; attach the whisk attachment.
   
• With the mixer on the lowest setting ( with a few high-speed pulses in between), mix until just combined, about 10 to 20 seconds. ( do not overwhip!)
   
• Remove the bowl from the mixer; use your spatula, and scrape the side and bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry ingredients that may have settled there.
   
• Divide the cupcake batter evenly among the liners about 3/4 full I use an ice cream scoop for this.
   
• Bake the cupcakes in the center of the oven until the tops are just dry to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
   
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Directions for the Raspberry puree/Juice 
 

• If you want a smooth look on the frosting without any raspberry seeds in it, as seen in the first photo, I recommend you use only the juice of the raspberries; You skip the step of pressing the raspberry through a strainer; you want pure raspberry juice which is more liquid. Leave the soft raspberries untouched when you run the raspberries through a strainer, and use the raspberry's leftovers as jam in yogurt. If you want a raspberry frosting that has a more authentic look than raspberries, make a raspberry puree as described below.
   
• Combine 300-gram raspberries, one tablespoon sugar, and one tablespoon freshly pressed lemon juice in a medium saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes. ( stir at times)
   
• After the raspberries soften, remove them from the heat and run through a strainer to remove just the juice of any seeds and collect the raspberry puree/juice.
   
• Transfer the raspberry juice/puree into a small bowl, and place it in the fridge until it is very cold. You will have leftovers.
   

Directions for the Raspberry Mascarpone Frosting

• In a large bowl using an electric beater or use a bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add 100 grams powdered sugar, 250-gram cold mascarpone, two teaspoon vanilla bean paste, a pinch of citric acid ( optional), and 450-gram heavy cream.
   
• Whip the mixture cream at low speed for one minute to combine everything, then turn the mixer to medium-low and whip until fluffy and thick. This step takes 2-3 minutes.
   
• Start by adding 100 grams of cold raspberry puree/ juice on top of the whipped mascarpone.  Hold back the remaining 50 grams of raspberry puree/juice to see how much raspberry flavor you like in this frosting.
   
• Mix for a few seconds on low speed or Use your spatula and stir the raspberry puree/juice into the whipped mascarpone frosting. Don't overmix, or it gets grainy.
   
• Have a taste; if you want a more intense raspberry flavor, add the remaining 50 grams more. 
   
• For maximum freshness and deliciousness, use immediately.
   
• For ideal spreading consistency on cakes or to pipe onto cupcakes, it is best to use the raspberry mascarpone frosting right away.
   
• This recipe will modestly frost a two-layer 20 cm / 8-inch layer cake; if you like a loftier frosted look for layer cakes, makes a 1 1/2 batch.
   
• When frosting a cake with this frosting, be careful not to run your spatula over the frosting too many times, or you´ll overwork the cream, and it´ll become grainy.
   
• Raspberry Mascarpone Frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

• Fit a pastry bag with a large piping tip ( I use an Ateco #849) and half fill with the frosting, pipe a swirl onto each cupcake, and enjoy.