Father's Day Tee-time Cupcakes

Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes (recipe below)

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Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting (recipe below)

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Golf-green Topping (ingredients follow) for 24 cupcakes

1 to 2 cups green sanding sugar

18 round white candies, such as candy-coated mint balls

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

(3 to 4 sheets finely ground in a food processor)

Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes

Makes: 36

• 3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 1/4 cups sugar

• 5 large whole eggs plus 3 egg yolks, room temperature

• 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add yolks and beat until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each. Beat in vanilla.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and, if desired, decorate with sprinkles before serving.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Makes: About 5 cups

• 5 large egg whites

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

• Pinch of salt

• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Combine egg whites, sugar and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).

Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until still (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.

With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze up to 1 month. When ready to use, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

Golf Green Topping

1. Using an offset spatula, spread each cupcake with a smooth layer of buttercream. Pour green sanding sugar into a small bowl. Dip tops of frosted cupcakes in the sugar, then sprinkle more on top to coat completely.

2. To create putting greens, make flags (you will need 18): Cut out lengths (3 to 4 inches) from white grosgrain ribbon. Fold each length around one end of a wooden skewer, and adhere folded sides together with hot glue or double-sided tape. Cut ribbon into a triangle shape, and plant the skewer into a cupcake. Place a small white candy "ball" near the flag.

3. To create sand traps, spoon about 1 teaspoon graham-cracker crumbs in the center of each of 6 cupcakes. With your thumb, make an indentation in the middle of each pile of crumbs, shifting it to one side to form a steeper side or to form an irregularly shaped trap. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set.