Happy Spring Cupcakes

I recently became vegetarian not only for the benefit of animals but also because of the wonderful health benefits of cutting back animal protein from your diet. I also have really been enjoying practicing yoga. Being I’m at the yoga studio a lot I’ve made a few friends and all of them are vegan. Growing up and even now as an adult I’ve always enjoyed making things for my family, friends, and even a select few of my teachers. All of the baking I did for my degree all involved dairy, so I was a little lost at how they could eat any delicious baked goods. This brought up a challenge for me one that I was pretty excited about trying. Using ground flax seed instead of eggs in cookies and it coming out great amazed me! Using a banana instead of an egg in cakes and them still rising shocked me! And the list goes on and on.

So in light of it being spring I thought I would do a dairy free vanilla cupcake with a lot of tastes of spring! And whether your carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore this is a flavorful, moist, and fluffy cupcake for anyone! 

Happy Spring Filled Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

Cupcake

·      1 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened)

·      1 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar

·      1 ¼ cups flour

·      2 Tablespoons cornstarch

·      ¾ teaspoons baking powder

·      ½ teaspoon baking soda

·      ¼ teaspoon salt

·      ½ cup vegan butter (I used earth balance vegan buttery sticks)

·      ¾ cup sugar

·      2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

·      ½ teaspoon almond extract

Procedure

1.    Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin pan with liners

2.    Whisk the almond milk and the vinegar together and let sit a few minutes to curdle.

3.    Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

4.    In a separate with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment at medium speed cream the butter and sugar for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.

5.    Beat in the vanilla and almond extract and scrape down the bowl.

6.    Alternate adding the almond milk mixture and the flour mixture scraping down the bowl after each addition.

7.    Fill the cupcake tin two-thirds of the way or about three tablespoons and bake for 18-20 minutes or until bounces back when touched.

8.    Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Dairy free pastry cream:

·      ½ cups flour

·      2 cups almond milk (I used unsweetened)

·      1/3 cups sugar

·      1/8 teaspoon salt

·      ¼ cup lemon juice

·      2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

·      1 teaspoon vanilla

Procedure

1.    In a small bowl, place the flour and whisk in ½ cups of almond milk and set aside.

2.    In a small saucepan, place the remaining almond milk, sugar and salt and whisk to combine.

3.    Add the flour mixture to the liquid ingredients and whisk well to combine.

4.    Cook the mixture over medium high heat for 5-6 minutes or until thickened.

5.    Add the remaining ingredients, and whisk well to combine.

6.    Cook the mixture a minute longer and remove saucepan from the heat and transfer to a large glass bowl or baking dish.

7.    Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pastry cream to prevent a skin forming on the top.

8.    Place the pastry cream in the fridge for several hours to cool. 

Fluffy “butter” cream

·      ½ cup shortening

·      ½ cup vegan butter (I used earth balance buttery sticks)

·      3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted

·      2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·      ¼ cups almond milk (I used unsweetened)

Procedure

1.    Beat the shortening and butter together until light and fluffy.

2.    Add the sugar and beat for about 3 minutes.

3.    Add the vanilla and the almond milk and beat for about five minutes or until fluffy.

Assembly

1.    Place the butter cream in a pastry bag with a large tip then place the pastry cream in a pastry bag with a medium size tip. Set aside.

2.    Using a cupcake corer or a knife create a hole. Then use the pastry cream to fill the middle of the cupcake.

3.    Next you will take your butter cream and make round mounds on top of the cupcakes.

4.    For decorations either add colored sprinkles or die shredded coconut with a drop of food coloring. 

 ENJOY