Baked Alaska Cupcakes

Rich chocolate cupcakes topped with a scoop of ice cream and a cloud of toasted marshmallow meringue. Best. Dessert. Ever!!!!!

Every year for Christmas our family goes out to an incredible restaurant near Marshall, MI called Win Schulers. They have the most amazing prime rib…oh my.  Anyway, within a week of Christmas it is my birthday, my mom’s birthday and my sister-in-law’s birthday.  Schuler’s gives you a Baked Alaska for your birthday….so it’s a feast of Baked Alaska and it is SO good.  About 2 weeks ago I was craving it and suddenly was struck by the idea of making it in cupcake form.  A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.  Just go and make these.  Use your favorite ice cream.  You will love them…!

Here’s the recipe: (printable version)

INGREDIENTS:

• One boxed chocolate cake mix (plus the oil, water and eggs to make according to package)
• One quart of your favorite ice cream (I used mint chip)
• 8 egg whites
• 2 cups of granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar

DIRECTIONS:

• Make cake mix according to box directions and divide equally into 24 cupcake liners in cupcake tins.
• Bake according to package.
• Cool completely (I refrigerated mine to get them nice and cold before adding the ice cream)
• While they are baking and cooling, make the marshmallow meringue (I got my recipe here)

(Don’t be afraid….I was afraid to try this, it sounded complicated, but it isn’t hard- it just takes time with a mixer in your hand if you are like me and not fortunate enough to have a stand mixer!  It is actually kind of fun!  Make sure your bowl and beaters are free of any oils.  I swiped mine with a little lemon juice 1st)

• Place egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a medium heat-proof bowl that will set on the top of a sauce pan of boiling water without touching the water.  (I had to experiment a bit to find a good fit)
• Bring water to a boil in the saucepan and set the bowl on top.
• Whisk ingredients together for about 3-4 minutes.  Sugar will be dissolved and egg whites should be heated to 145F degrees.
• Remove bowl from top of sauce pan and beat on low until the mixture thickens a little, then beat on high for about 10 minutes.  The meringue will become the most beautiful, white, glossy mixture.  It should form stiff peaks before you stop beating it.
• Spoon all that wonderful marshmallow yumminess into a bag fitted with a decorating tip.
• Assemble one cupcake at a time, and then pop it into the freezer immediately.
• Take a cupcake, use a small cookie scoop or melon baller and place a scoop of ice cream in the center of the cupcake.  Pipe meringue all around it, being careful to seal up all the ice cream at the bottom and them working your way up to a swirled top!

• When all cupcakes are prepared and in the freezer, use a kitchen torch
  to toast the marshmallow just before serving.
• These are best served within a couple of hours of making them.  

Since they are a fork-eating-cupcake anyway, I see no harm in adding hot fudge….

My thoughts: I loved them.  They satisfied my craving for a baked Alaska plus they have the cute factor of a cupcake!  Fun, fun, FUN!!!!! Enjoy!!!  ~r

Other yummy cupcakes: