I made these cupcakes for a baby shower I was hosting, and the cake part was just delicious.  (CRAP ALERT: We won’t talk about the frosting!)  I got this recipe from my son but don’t know it’s origin.  I also committed the cardial sin of a blogger — I didn’t take pictures as I worked.  But the recipe is easy to follow, so pictures aren’t really necessary if you try this yourself.

You’ll need these ingredients:

4 egg whites, at room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1-3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1-1/3 cups buttermilk

Directions:

Allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, fill 24 cupcake tin with cupcake liners or grease and flour two 9″ cake pans, two 8″ cake pans, or a 9″ x 13″ pan.  In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and vanilla; beat until well combined.  Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined.  Spread batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-35 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean.  Cool cake in pans on wire racks for ten minutes.  Remove cake from pans; cool cakes completely on racks.  Frost with desired frosting.

OPTIONAL:  For a coconut cake, prepare as above, except add 1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut into batter.

Yum!