🧁 Fluffy Soufflé Cupcakes
📝 Ingredients
- 4 eggs (separated)
- 60 g (1/4 cup) sugar (split into two portions)
- 120 g (1/2 cup) cream cheese (softened)
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk
- 30 g (2 tbsp) butter
- 60 g (1/2 cup) cake flour (or all-purpose sifted)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice (or vinegar)
- Powdered sugar (for topping)
🔪 Instructions
1. Prep
- Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F)
- Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners
- Place a tray of hot water in the oven (water bath)
2. Make batter base
- Melt cream cheese, butter, and milk together (microwave or double boiler)
- Whisk until smooth
- Add egg yolks + vanilla → mix well
- Sift in flour + cornstarch → mix until smooth
3. Make meringue
- Beat egg whites + lemon juice until foamy
- Gradually add sugar → beat to soft peaks
4. Combine
- Gently fold meringue into batter in 3 batches
- Do NOT overmix (keep it airy)
5. Bake
- Pour into liners (about 80% full)
- Bake 25–35 minutes at 150°C
- Then increase to 170°C (340°F) for 5–10 minutes for browning
6. Cool
- Let cool in oven slightly (door cracked open)
- Dust with powdered sugar
❓ Q&A / Troubleshooting
❓ Why did my cupcakes collapse?
👉 Common reasons:
- Underbaked center
- Overmixed batter (lost air)
- Sudden temperature change
✔ Fix:
- Bake longer at low temp
- Cool slowly in oven
❓ Why are they dense instead of fluffy?
👉 Usually:
- Egg whites not whipped enough
- Meringue deflated during mixing
✔ Fix:
- Beat to soft peaks
- Fold gently, not stir
❓ Why did they crack on top?
👉 Oven too hot or baked too fast
✔ Fix:
- Stick to low temp (150°C)
- Use water bath for moisture
❓ Can I skip cream cheese?
Yes, but texture changes. Without it:
- More like sponge cupcakes
- Less creamy richness
❓ How do I know they’re done?
✔ Tops lightly golden
✔ Slight jiggle in center
✔ Toothpick mostly clean