Raspberry Sweetheart Cakelets*
Makes 12 medium-size muffins or cakelets
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 cup frozen raspberries, partially thawed (raspberries must be individually frozen variety not juice pack variety)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Have all ingredients at room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour a sweetheart rose pan or medium-size muffin pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt over a sheet of wax paper and set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the milk and vanilla and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the soft butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.
Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with half of the milk in 2 additions. Beat each addition just until incorporated. Stop the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Transfer the butter mixture to another bowl, and wash and dry the mixing bowl well before beating egg whites. Beat the whites with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a spatula, fold in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar until combined. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the batter just until a few streaks of whites remain.
Toss the partially frozen raspberries with about 2 tablespoons of flour in a colander just to coat them. Gently incorporate the berries into the batter. Divide the batter into the wells of the prepared pan. (A medium-size ice cream scoop works well.)
Bake until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cakelet comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for about 15 minutes before removing cakelets. Let cool completely and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.