Seabeast Cakes

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to see Mastodon open for Slayer. They were incredible.
Any band that releases an album with a permeating Moby Dick theme, is alright by me.
This recipe was inspired by the 3rd track on Leviathan entitled "Seabeast."
To make these cupcakes true "beasts," I suggest you use baking cups made by Reynolds. The foil cups allow you to make cupcakes standing alone on a cookie sheet, without using a cupcake tin. They also allow you to add much more batter to each, creating a beast of a dessert.
Brutal.

Mastodon: Seabeast Cakes




Metal Constituents:

• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 7 large egg whites

For the Frosting:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Merciless Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange baking cups on a cookie sheet, set aside.
2. Wisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside.
3. Combine milk and vanilla in another bowl, and set aside.
4. Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add sugar in a steady stream, and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low.
5. Add dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture - starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Be careful to avoid overbeating.
6. In a clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold a third of the whites into batter until combined. Fold in remaining whites in two batches.
7. Pour batter into baking cups. Bake until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center, 25 to 30 minutes.
8. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. To make the frosting: In a small saucepan, combine the milk and flour. Wisk over medium high heat until boiling. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
10. When the milk mixture is cool, add the butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer for 10 to 12 minutes, scraping the bottom of the bowl occasionally.
11. Frost completely cooled cupcakes.
12. Don't let these beasts pull you towards the east.

Here is the video for "Seabeast." Enjoy!