Wedding cake cupcakes for two, for your wedding anniversary!
Not to be a buzzkill, but someone looked me right in the face and told me a wedding cake for two is a dumb idea.
She clearly has not drank the 'dessert for two' koolaid and realized how cool it is to make miniature desserts. (Or, she can resist leftover cookies and cupcakes better than I can, who knows? Maybe a pan of brownies doesn't whisper to her, begging her to eat them the way they do to me).
The point is: the criticism stuck with me for a long time. Sometimes, it's a good thing when someone undermines your passion; it makes you re-evaluate.
I immediately began running through my elevator pitch of what exactly 'dessert for two' is, and what it means to me. After some small tweaks to my verbiage, and I add more emphasis on 'small batch' and 'no leftovers' and 'date night,' because that's what dessert for two means to me.
It's a way to enjoy desserts without tons of leftovers (a new dessert everyday, if you wish!), it's a fun way to bake (just 1 egg and small scoops of flour!), and it's the perfect cap on date night.
All good things, you know?
Would you make wedding cake cupcakes?
So, what I want to know is: are you with me? Would you make a mini wedding cake on your anniversary? Would you make wedding cake cupcakes on your wedding anniversary, or on a random Tuesday just because you really love almond-scented cupcakes with buttercream roses and sugar pearls?
I know who's on my team. Ina is on my team. She makes a mini wedding cake for Jeffrey on their anniversary, and since they are #relationshipgoals, we best do the same.
So, what exactly is wedding cake flavor?
Wedding cake cupcakes: they're light and fluffy because they're made with only egg whites. They're rich because they're made with sour cream. They're delicately almond-scented, because that is what gives wedding cake it's traditional flavor.
The buttercream on top is perfection. Sally teaches us how to make buttercream roses, and it's the best tutorial. You won't believe how freaking easy they are! Plus, they're made with the one piping tip we all have in our drawer.
This recipe makes just 4 cupcakes, but I'm showing more than 4 here in the photos because I have several batches laying around. The recipe is easily doubled, too!
Happy Anniversary (or happy Tuesday!)
Wedding Cake Cupcakes for Two
Wedding cake cupcakes, small batch style.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 large egg white, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons sour cream, at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of fine salt
For the frosting:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350, and line four cups in a muffin pan with paper liners.
- First, make the cupcakes: In a medium bowl, beat with an electric mixer the butter, sugar and almond extract. Beat until light and fluffy, at least 30 seconds.
- Add the egg white and beat until combined.
- Next, beat in the sour cream.
- Finally, sprinkle the flour, baking powder and salt evenly over the batter, and then beat until just combined.
- Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, and bake on the middle rack for 17-20 minutes. When done, the tops will spring back, and a toothpick inserted will come out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool.
- To make the frosting: beat the butter in a small bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of the cream and the almond extract. Beat until very light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add more cream, if necessary.
- Scrape the frosting into a piping bag fitting with a star tip (I used a Wilton 1M). To make the rose shape, make a circle starting in the center of the cupcake and work your way out.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 466Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 120mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 0gSugar: 41gProtein: 3g
Sneha Goel says
Hi! This looks like a great recipe! If I wanted to use this recipe to make a 6 inch cake, would I need to double the quantities?
Thanks!
Christina Lane says
Hi Sneha! I'm not exactly sure because I haven't tested the recipe this way. But typically, if you double one of my small-batch cupcake recipes, it fits in a 6" cake pan. But I can't guarantee results, sorry! I would like to test it this way myself, so let me know if it works :)
Matraca says
I am planning on making these next week for my daughter's daycare, only in mini muffin form.
How long would you bake them in the mini muffin tins? Mini cupcakes work better for the little people lol!
Thanks!
Christina Lane says
I would start checking them at 10-12 minutes :)
Matraca says
Thank you!!! I love your site, especially for the desserts. It's so nice to have somewhere that has small batch recipes!!
Edith Jimenez says
Is each cupcake 665 calories?
Christina Lane says
No, I just updated for you! Sorry, my recipe calculator is wonky sometimes!
Lisa says
I LOVE all of your recipes! Honestly who really wants to make a huge batch of any type of dessert when you have a sweet craving? Im making this wedding cake recipe and it isn't my wedding or anniversary lol I just feel like tasting it and it is awesome that I can sample it and not have to make a huge cake! So thank you! xoxoxox
Madison says
Made these yesterday (not at all my anniversary, just had to try them) and they turned out great. The almond taste was slightly overwhelming, I'll put less in next time. Quick question: everytime I cream sugar and butter and then add the egg or egg white the mixture curdles. Is this normal? When the flour gets mixed in things all smooth up but I'm wondering if I'm doing anything wrong.
Christina Lane says
Yay! I'm so glad! Yes, the curdling is normal :)
Enelye says
Love your small batch recipes and who wouldn't want a wedding cake for two? It was definitely a dumb remark. Doubled the recipe and baked it in a 6 inch pan (so we could enjoy it all week-end!) and it turned out great. Thanks for scaling down all these dessert recipes for small households (or peopke who don't need 20 cupcakes at once)!
Christina Lane says
This is so sweet, Enelye! I'm glad to know it can be a mini 6" cake too :)
Siobhan says
Great little cupcakes for a week night! My husband loved them and they are so easy and fast to make, like a lot of your recipes. Thanks for all these treats-for-2, hope your little family is doing well!
Allie says
Can I substitute something for the sour cream? I don't have sour cream. I have milk and I have goat milk yogurt.
Christina Lane says
Definitely yogurt :)
Diana says
Do you know what I would need to adjust for a higher altitude? I'm so sad I can't make your recipes since moving to Denver.
Christina Lane says
I'm sorry, Diana! I don't know much about baking at high altitude, but there are a few blogs that specialize in this. Have you tried googling high altitude adjustments for recipes?
Patty says
So happy I found your site. I’m making this as a mini square 4 layer cake with red raspberry jam filling . I love wedding cake and mine had raspberry filling. That was 33 years ago. Thank you for your delightful dessert recipes for two. The pound cake is perfect so I know this will be also!
Rubi says
Well, that person who thought wedding cakes for 2 were dumb clearly didn't see a world living a pandemic where weddings would be elopements 😉.
Christina Lane says
You're so right, Rubi! :) If I could make just one couple happy with a mini wedding cake, I would be overjoyed :)