Pink Pitaya Butterfly Cupcakes

1. Vanilla Cupcakes — Prepare the oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-count cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Combine the dry ingredients. Add the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until just combined. Add the butter. Add the softened butter, about 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing on low speed until all of the butter has been incorporated and the mixture resembles a fine, grainy sand. Combine the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the room-temperature milk, egg whites, and vanilla extract until combined. Add the liquids. Pour half of the milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, until the batter becomes light and fluffy. Add the remaining milk mixture and mix on low speed for 20–30 seconds, just until combined. Do not over mix. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the cupcakes are fully baked and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

2. Pink Pitaya Swiss Meringue Buttercream — Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk constantly until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture reaches 160°F. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and whip with the whisk attachment on high speed until the meringue is glossy, stiff, and the bowl has cooled to room temperature. Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add the softened butter, one tablespoon at a time. Continue mixing until the buttercream becomes smooth and silky. If it looks curdled or separated during mixing, continue beating until it comes together. Add the vanilla, salt, and 3 tablespoons of Suncore Foods Pink Pitaya Powder. Mix until evenly incorporated and beautifully pink.

3.White Chocolate Butterfly Bodies & Antennae — Melt the white chocolate gently until smooth. Stir in 1 teaspoon Suncore Foods Pink Pitaya Powder until completely incorporated. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a piping bag fitted with a very small round opening. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Pipe small butterfly bodies and delicate curved antennae onto the parchment. Place the tray in the freezer until the chocolate is completely firm, about 10–15 minutes. Keep the butterfly pieces chilled until you’re ready to decorate the cupcakes.

4. Decorating the Butterfly Cupcakes — Fit a piping bag with a petal-style piping tip. A Wilton 104-style tip works well for creating the long, ridged butterfly wings. Fill the piping bag with the pink pitaya buttercream. Starting near the outside of the cupcake, pipe the first butterfly wing by squeezing the piping bag while moving inward and slightly upward then down. Keep the narrow end of the tip toward the center of the wing to create the delicate, ruffled ridges. Repeat on the opposite side to create the second upper wing. Then pipe two slightly smaller wings toward the lower portion of the cupcake. For the look pictured, make the wings full and slightly elongated, with the four sections meeting toward the center. Keep the center slightly raised by piping a small amount in the middle of each cupcake so the chocolate butterfly body has a natural place to sit. Carefully place one frozen white chocolate butterfly body down the center of each cupcake. Add the chocolate antennae behind the body. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve. Allow refrigerated cupcakes to sit at room temperature for a short time before serving for the best buttercream texture.