Same thing we do every night, Pinky... with cupcakes!

[rikibeth]

Back on Harry Potter night, eternaleponine and I both spent money on other books to read while we were waiting for the midnight release. I got coffeeem's Territory, and misia's Virgin: The Untouched History. eternaleponine, however, bought Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World.

Well, last week, we tried the first recipe that struck us: Brooklyn vs. Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes. Our verdict: fail. The basic vanilla vegan cupcake was perfectly acceptable, but the ganache was less than tasty (ganache needs CREAM), and the pastry "creme" was beyond vile. Chalky, gritty, with that horrid soy-powder taste to it. I LOVE pastry cream. That was NOT an acceptable substitute. This Boston girl will leave her share to the boys in pinstripes.

Today we decided to try again, with another recipe. This time: Chai Latte Cupcakes. A spiced cupcake with black tea infused in the soymilk, and a powdered sugar/cocoa/spice topping.

Guess what? These are GOOD. These are worth EATING. The cupcake is moist and tasty, and the powdered topping complements it nicely. The texture is good, too -- it uses soy yogurt for tenderness, and oil instead of egg, and the crumb is not too coarse. Easy mixing -- muffin method, dries into wets with a spatula, no mixer required.

The book lists a variation for Earl Grey cupcakes with lemon and orange zest in the cupcake along with Earl Grey infused in the soymilk, and I definitely want to make that. I'm also considering infusing the soymilk with jasmine tea and using only ginger in the cupcake, and frosting it with something lemony.

I think the trick is to choose the recipes that aren't trying to directly compete with a dairy confection that I love.

I'll probably be working through this book in the next few months. I'll be sure to report on the results.

Comments

[la-directora.livejournal.com]

There is a woman vegan baker who supplies desserts to one of my favorite veggie restaurants. Her desserts are TO DIE FOR. And you're right - she doesn't try butter cream. The frostings are all sugar frostings. Except the cream cheese frosting, which she makes with the tofu cream cheese, which is actually really good.

Generally I think baking should be left alone. But I've had some vegan desserts in this town at several vegan restaurants that kind of rock my world. So it can be done.

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Oh, I haven't tried their buttercream frostings yet, and I expect them to be passable -- a lot of commercial buttercreams are at least half shortening anyway. It's PASTRY cream where I was seriously disappointed -- essentially custard. Which is made with eggs and cream, not soymilk and agar, and there's just no comparing them.

Now, possibly, one made with almond milk and almond extract would be more acceptable. But when I was a young hypoglycemic my mom valiantly fed me milkshakes loaded with soy protein powder, and they were vile. To this day I won't have soy protein powder in my smoothies -- I use rice protein powder, because the soy taste is just too nasty.

I may have to adjust a lot of this cookbook to reflect my hatred for the Soy Powder Taste.

[wikdsushi.livejournal.com]

Off-topic, I'm finally going to get that shipping money to you this week. I am SO sorry it's taken this long. Every time I went to send it, the mortgage hit, or the bills, or we had an emergency expense. Stu gets paid tomorrow, though, so I'll staple a note to my face, reminding me to do it before anything else goes out.

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

Earl Grey cupcakes with lemon and orange zest in the cupcake along with Earl Grey infused in the soymilk, and I definitely want to make that. I'm also considering infusing the soymilk with jasmine tea and using only ginger in the cupcake, and frosting it with something lemony

we are now officially OUT OF BISCOTTI

//cries

[nmsunbear.livejournal.com]

Oh, the Chai Latte Cupcakes sound marvelous! Now I want a cupcake. *pout*

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

Damn, now I want some of those chai cupcakes!