Very Vanilla Cupcakes for Mom

As an only child I feel I have a special bond with my mother.  She is THE best mom in the whole world and she's my best friend.  I have no idea what I'd do without her... So in honor of her birthday today, I'd like to say thank you mom for being you and being so darn great!  You're the best!

So, today we are going to surprise her at work with cupcakes for her birthday....

Very Vanilla Cupcakes!

My basic vanilla cupcake recipe which is here.

Then I took my basic vegan vanilla buttercream and jazzed it up.

Printable Version

Very Vanilla Buttercream (Vegan)

1/2 cup shortening (Earth Balance)
1/2 cup margarine (Earth Balance)
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup vanilla soy milk
1 vanilla bean, scraped

Beat together the shortening and margarine until fluffy.  Add the powdered sugar a 1/2 cup at a time while the mixer is on low.  If the buttercream gets too stiff add a little of the soy milk.  Add the vanilla extract, soy milk, and vanilla bean and beat to desired consistency.  If buttercream is a little wet for using a piping bag, just add a little bit more powdered sugar.  After frosting cupcakes.... dust them with a little vanilla sugar.  Yum!

Three is NOT a crowd...

I just could not decide which flavor I wanted to bake.... so, I narrowed it down to three.  hee hee

Vanilla/Vanilla

Cinnamon Toast

Coffee & Donuts

I took the basic vanilla cupcake recipe I use... adapted from Chef Chloe's

Vegan Raspberry Tiramisu Cupcake Recipe.  On a side note, I've tried her Black Bean Sliders and they were amazing!!  Anyways, I changed little things for each cupcake... here ya go.

Basic Vanilla Cupcake

adapted from Chef Chloe

(makes 12 cupcakes)

1 3/4c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. canola oil

1 c. almond milk, unsweetened

2 tbsp. Lorann Princess Cake & Cookie Bakery Emulsion

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place cupcake liners in pan.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & sugar.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, almond milk, emulsion & apple cider vinegar.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients slowly and mix well.  Scoop batter into liners using an ice cream scoop.  Bake 10-15 minutes. (Mine baked about 20 minutes)

Let cool in pan a few minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Vegan Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

courtesy of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (who I'm loving by the way)

1/2 c. nonhydrogenated shortening (I use Earth Balance)

1/2 c. nonhydrogenated margarine (again Earth Balance)

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. plain soy milk or soy creamer (I used vanilla soymilk)

Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy.  Add the sugar and beat for about 3 minutes.  Add the vanilla and soy milk, beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until fluffy.

Makes 4 cups

Cinnamon Toast Cupcake

 Cinnamon Toast Cupcake...

I followed the same vanilla cupcake recipe, however I substituted 2 tbsp. vanilla for the emulsion.

For the frosting: Vegan Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

I followed the above recipe for Fluffy Buttercream Frosting but added 3 1/2 tbsp. ground cinnamon. 

To assemble: after piping the frosting on the cupcake I dusted with a Cinnamon Sugar mixture.

Last but not least.... The Coffee & Donuts Cupcake.

I again used the vanilla cupcake recipe from above however I did substitute 2 tsp. vanilla for the emulsion.

I then dipped the cooled cupcakes into a "donut glaze".

Vegan Donut Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

2 tbsp. soymilk (I used vanilla soymilk)

dash of vanilla

a little squirt of agave

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth and combined.

For the frosting I once again used the above vanilla buttercream frosting recipe...substitute 1/4 c. cold coffee for the 1/4 c. soymilk.  Next time I will try something diffferent... possibly a coffee extract or an espresso powder. This frosting did not have enough coffee flavor for my taste.

I received rave review from the family(these are non-vegans)... especially on the Vanilla/Vanilla Cupcakes (the hubs fave) and the Cinnamon Toast Cupcake.  Try them...you won't be disappointed!!!