I'm posting this recipe REALLY late, but these are the little beauties that everyone loved at Felicity's first birthday party, now almost two months ago. I also made these in Minnesota for our little New Years day party. My father, who adores carrot cake above all other cakes, really loved them. Carrot cake may also be my favorite form of cake... yum, yum, yum.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
I prefer to make my carrot cake cupcakes in the miniature form, but that's up to you. If you want to bake regularly sized cupcakes, keep them in for 25-28 minutes. This makes about 30 mini cupcakes or 10 regularly sized cupcakes.
Ingredients
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (can be replaced with all-purpose flour if you don't have this)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
2/3 cup evaporated can sugar or sucunat
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup vanilla soy or coconut yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup grated carrots
1/4 chopped walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line mini-muffin tin with liners.
In a medium mixing bowl, mix sugar, vegetable oil, yogurt, and vanilla. Sift in the the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices, and mix until smooth. Fold in carrots, walnuts, raisins, and coconut.
Spray the cupcake liners with nonstick baking spray and fill into about until about two-thirds full. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until a toothpick inserted through the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Cool thoroughly and pipe on cheese cream frosting (recipe below).
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Earth Balance Buttery Spread, room temperature
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
Directions
Cream together margarine, coconut oil, and cream cheese until just combined. Use a handheld mixer to whip while adding the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup batches, then add vanilla. Mix until smooth and creamy, for 2-3 minutes. Chill until you're ready to use.
Showing posts with label The Cupcake Adventures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Cupcake Adventures. Show all posts
Monday, February 4, 2013
Monday, December 3, 2012
Book Review: Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
by Isa Chandra MoskowitzMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Let me first admit that I have held on to my library copy of VCTOTW for far too long. In fact, the library doesn't even seem to think that I have it, despite not accruing any fines. I feel equal amounts of shame and glee, and do plan on returning it. Soon, I swear. As soon as I try every single recipe... (of my husband buys this for me for Christmas because he is ashamed of my dishonest ways, and wants the cupcakes to keep coming).
This is a goldmine for the vegan that bakes, even if that vegan has never baked before. The ingredients aren't strange and use things out of your vegan pantry (I spent $75 purchasing crazy ingredients at Whole Foods for one recipe in Babycakes that was mediocre at best), the instructions are easy to follow, and, best of all, these cook up into amazing cupcakes - and I am freaking FUSSY about my cupcakes (and other baked goods).
My two favorite recipes are for the chocolate cupcakes (Your Basic Chocolate Cupcake), with a little extra vanilla extract, and some coconut extract for good measure, with the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (ditto with the vanilla and coconut here too), and the Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. So. Amazing.
I made both of these recipes in mini form for my daughter's first birthday party, and they were a hit with all of my non-vegan friends (I kept hearing, "And can you believe they're vegan?!" around the room).
The only thing I've made so far that I haven't cared for was the batch of Thick Chocolate Fudgey Frostin'. I suspect this has more to do with my lack of good-quality soy milk powder that the actual recipe.
View all my reviews
Monday, October 8, 2012
The Cupcake Adventures [Part II]
After making cupcakes this weekend, I felt invigorated,and ready to continue my quest for the perfect vegan chocolate cupcake. Damn it, I know you're out there!
This afternoon, I whipped up the chocolate cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (referred to as VCTOW moving forward) by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Everything felt a little easier with these cupcakes - the ingredients were straight-forward, the measurements made sense, and they were lovely and simple, from start to finish.
Granted, these cupcakes aren't gluten-free, but they also don't claim to be the best cupcakes in NYC (by the way, there is no way on earth that the same cupcake recipe I followed carefully on Saturday matches any sort of recipe from the baker that makes the best cupcakes in the city, Ian and I call bunk!), and so don't have impossible standards to live up to.
So, my initial thoughts to compare:
The cupcakes I made two days ago from Babycakes are more interesting; the flavor of the cake itself is much deeper and fudgier, though a bit muffinesque in texture and crumb. The frosting was a big fail: too high maintenance (has to set 6+ hours before spreading, then requires the cupcakes to be refrigerated for storage, which completely destroys the texture of the cupcakes), difficult to spread (these are some ugly cupcakes!), has a very distinct 'soy' taste to it, and is grainy.
The cupcakes I made this afternoon from the VCTOW cookbook were good. My neighbor L., Designated Cupcake Taster #3, said her cupcake was comparable to one you'd find in a bakery. Ian, to quote, said, "This tastes like a cupcake from childhood. I can't believe this is a vegan cupcake." All good, right?
Maybe... I agree that it was a very good cupcake, certainly more of a success than the Babycakes recipe, but it tasted generic to me. The cupcake tasted and felt like it came from a box mix, and while the frosting had a slightly deeper chocolate flavor than you'd find in a frosting tub in the store, it was almost identical in texture and taste.
Some might be satisfied with that, but, as you may recall, I am an obnoxious baker that is looking for amazing texture paired with an interesting and distinct flavor. It was a good cupcake, but it didn't sing. So how do I accomplish this?
The quest continues.
Overall Grade: 7.625
Cupcake Flavor: 6
Crumb: 9.5
Frosting Flavor: 6
Frosting Texture: 9
Makes 9-12 Cupcakes
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup all-purpose flour or white whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 granulated sugar or sucanat
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F and line standard muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. You may need to sift the mix if you have any lumps or clumps. Set aside.
Stir in the sugar, oil, and vanilla into the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy and well combined (if you used sucanat, it will be grainy and settle towards the bottom - don't worry about this). Add half the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches. Beat until no large lumps or clumps remain.
Pour the batter into the liners, so they are almost full (a little over 1/3 cup). Bake 17-19 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cupcakes cool completely, then frost.
1/4 cup Earth Balance margarine (vegan buttery sticks)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 Tablespoons soy milk or soy creamer
Using a hand mixer, beat the coconut oil and margarine until well combined and fluffy. Add the cocoa powder, continuing to beat until smooth. Keeping the mixer on medium, add the powdered sugar in batches, adding a splash of soy milk here and there as you go to keep it moistened (but be wary of adding too much!). Add the vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes more.
Granted, these cupcakes aren't gluten-free, but they also don't claim to be the best cupcakes in NYC (by the way, there is no way on earth that the same cupcake recipe I followed carefully on Saturday matches any sort of recipe from the baker that makes the best cupcakes in the city, Ian and I call bunk!), and so don't have impossible standards to live up to.
So, my initial thoughts to compare:
The cupcakes I made two days ago from Babycakes are more interesting; the flavor of the cake itself is much deeper and fudgier, though a bit muffinesque in texture and crumb. The frosting was a big fail: too high maintenance (has to set 6+ hours before spreading, then requires the cupcakes to be refrigerated for storage, which completely destroys the texture of the cupcakes), difficult to spread (these are some ugly cupcakes!), has a very distinct 'soy' taste to it, and is grainy.
The cupcakes I made this afternoon from the VCTOW cookbook were good. My neighbor L., Designated Cupcake Taster #3, said her cupcake was comparable to one you'd find in a bakery. Ian, to quote, said, "This tastes like a cupcake from childhood. I can't believe this is a vegan cupcake." All good, right?
Maybe... I agree that it was a very good cupcake, certainly more of a success than the Babycakes recipe, but it tasted generic to me. The cupcake tasted and felt like it came from a box mix, and while the frosting had a slightly deeper chocolate flavor than you'd find in a frosting tub in the store, it was almost identical in texture and taste.
Some might be satisfied with that, but, as you may recall, I am an obnoxious baker that is looking for amazing texture paired with an interesting and distinct flavor. It was a good cupcake, but it didn't sing. So how do I accomplish this?
The quest continues.
Overall Grade: 7.625
Cupcake Flavor: 6
Crumb: 9.5
Frosting Flavor: 6
Frosting Texture: 9
Your Basic Chocolate Cupcake
Adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the WorldMakes 9-12 Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 cup plain, unsweetened soy milk1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup all-purpose flour or white whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 granulated sugar or sucanat
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F and line standard muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. You may need to sift the mix if you have any lumps or clumps. Set aside.
Stir in the sugar, oil, and vanilla into the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy and well combined (if you used sucanat, it will be grainy and settle towards the bottom - don't worry about this). Add half the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches. Beat until no large lumps or clumps remain.
Pour the batter into the liners, so they are almost full (a little over 1/3 cup). Bake 17-19 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cupcakes cool completely, then frost.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the WorldIngredients
1/4 cup coconut oil1/4 cup Earth Balance margarine (vegan buttery sticks)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 Tablespoons soy milk or soy creamer
Directions
Using a hand mixer, beat the coconut oil and margarine until well combined and fluffy. Add the cocoa powder, continuing to beat until smooth. Keeping the mixer on medium, add the powdered sugar in batches, adding a splash of soy milk here and there as you go to keep it moistened (but be wary of adding too much!). Add the vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes more.
The Cupcake Adventures [Part I]
If you know me at all, you know I'm am obnoxious baker. I'm the person that will spend all day in the kitchen, tell you I spent all day in the kitchen, linger as you take a bite of whatever I spent all day in the kitchen making, and wait for you to tell me that I am your baking goddess, and this is the best [insert whatever it is I've crammed in front of you and expected to you eat] you've ever had.
But wait, pause for a moment - vegan baking is a whole new monster. No longer can I refer to my well-loved copy of Cook's Illustrated Best Recipe Cookbook, or spend hours poring over recipe reviews on Epicurious.com to make sure I have the best possible [insert whatever it is I've crammed in front of you and expected to you eat]. I've been baking since the third grade, and I seriously feel like I'm starting from scratch.
Enter the CUPCAKES.
Felicity's first birthday is on December 1st. Being the obnoxious baker I am, I want to make cupcakes. I want to make the most amazing, delectable vegan cupcakes, like the ones from The Cupcake Station in Ann Arbor, Michigan (which can and should be held responsible for what is going on in my thighs). I want to make perfect cupcakes.
I started with Babycakes, the cookbook from the famed bakery in New York City (which I've yet to visit, because it involves one-too-many train transfers for my lazy self). Babycakes (the store) was apparently voted the #1 cupcake in NYC, despite the fact that they are vegan and gluten-free. Wow. Gotta try it, right?
I spent way too much at Whole Foods purchasing things I'd never even heard of, things like coconut flour, potato starch, and soy milk powder. My friend A., who was visiting for the weekend, and I got to work yesterday afternoon, doing the very tedious job of halving the recipe for two-dozen cupcakes in the actual cookbook. Good heavens - halving things like 1 Tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder called upon our very serious math skills, my baking conversion magnet on the fridge, and a calculator. It was intense, but A. and I were up for the challenge. It was only today I found a halved recipe online (doh!)
Overall Grade: 6.75 (out of 10)
Cupcake Flavor: 8.5
Crumb: 7 at room temperature (4 when chilled, as suggested by the authors for storage)
Frosting Flavor: 7.5
Frosting Texture: 4
Makes 10-12 cupcakes
If I was to actually serve these at a party, which I might, I would make the frosting the day before to really let it set. I would make the cupcakes about 6 hours, before the party, let them cool completely, and frost the cupcakes 30-60 minutes before the guests arrive, so that the frosting didn't melt, but the cupcakes could avoid being chilled, which really does absolutely nothing for a cupcake. If you must serve these chilled, please let them sit out for an hour or so before serving, it really does make a big difference.
1/4 cup potato starch
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons arrowroot
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
6 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water
Chocolate Frosting (see below)
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a regular-sized muffin tin with liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and hot water until well blended, then incorporate into the dry mix until the batter is smooth.
Pour approximately 1/3 cup batter into each prepared cup, almost filling it. Bake the cupcakes for 15 minutes, then rotate the tin and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the tin for twenty minutes, then move to a wire rack until cooled completely. Frost and enjoy!
Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
I know the 6 hour chilling thing sounds crazy, but you really do need to wait this long, the texture is much more consistent and smooth, and the flavor is much better.
To make vanilla frosting, eliminate the cocoa powder, increase the dry soy milk powder by an additional 2 Tablespoons, and increase the coconut oil by an additional 1/4 cup.
1/4 cup dry soy milk powder
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut flour
2 Tablespoons agave nectar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pour the mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least six hours before using to frost the cupcakes.
But wait, pause for a moment - vegan baking is a whole new monster. No longer can I refer to my well-loved copy of Cook's Illustrated Best Recipe Cookbook, or spend hours poring over recipe reviews on Epicurious.com to make sure I have the best possible [insert whatever it is I've crammed in front of you and expected to you eat]. I've been baking since the third grade, and I seriously feel like I'm starting from scratch.
Enter the CUPCAKES.
Felicity's first birthday is on December 1st. Being the obnoxious baker I am, I want to make cupcakes. I want to make the most amazing, delectable vegan cupcakes, like the ones from The Cupcake Station in Ann Arbor, Michigan (which can and should be held responsible for what is going on in my thighs). I want to make perfect cupcakes.
I spent way too much at Whole Foods purchasing things I'd never even heard of, things like coconut flour, potato starch, and soy milk powder. My friend A., who was visiting for the weekend, and I got to work yesterday afternoon, doing the very tedious job of halving the recipe for two-dozen cupcakes in the actual cookbook. Good heavens - halving things like 1 Tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder called upon our very serious math skills, my baking conversion magnet on the fridge, and a calculator. It was intense, but A. and I were up for the challenge. It was only today I found a halved recipe online (doh!)
Overall Grade: 6.75 (out of 10)
Cupcake Flavor: 8.5
Crumb: 7 at room temperature (4 when chilled, as suggested by the authors for storage)
Frosting Flavor: 7.5
Frosting Texture: 4
Chocolate Cupcakes
Adapted from BabycakesMakes 10-12 cupcakes
If I was to actually serve these at a party, which I might, I would make the frosting the day before to really let it set. I would make the cupcakes about 6 hours, before the party, let them cool completely, and frost the cupcakes 30-60 minutes before the guests arrive, so that the frosting didn't melt, but the cupcakes could avoid being chilled, which really does absolutely nothing for a cupcake. If you must serve these chilled, please let them sit out for an hour or so before serving, it really does make a big difference.
Ingredients
1/2 cup + 6 Tablespoons garbanzo-fava bean flour1/4 cup potato starch
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons arrowroot
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
6 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water
Chocolate Frosting (see below)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a regular-sized muffin tin with liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and hot water until well blended, then incorporate into the dry mix until the batter is smooth.
Pour approximately 1/3 cup batter into each prepared cup, almost filling it. Bake the cupcakes for 15 minutes, then rotate the tin and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the tin for twenty minutes, then move to a wire rack until cooled completely. Frost and enjoy!
Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Chocolate Frosting
Adapted from BabycakesI know the 6 hour chilling thing sounds crazy, but you really do need to wait this long, the texture is much more consistent and smooth, and the flavor is much better.
To make vanilla frosting, eliminate the cocoa powder, increase the dry soy milk powder by an additional 2 Tablespoons, and increase the coconut oil by an additional 1/4 cup.
Ingredients
3/4 cups plain soy milk1/4 cup dry soy milk powder
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut flour
2 Tablespoons agave nectar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
In a blender, combine the soymilk, soy powder, cocoa powder, coconut flour, agave nectar, and vanilla until smooth, then blend for an additional two minutes. With the machine still running, slowly add the oil and lemon juice, alternating between the two until both are fully incorporated.Pour the mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least six hours before using to frost the cupcakes.
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