Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Citrus Buttercream and Chocolate Ganache

              
              I don’t have very much to say today.... I am going to officially start updating my blog every week. If I want to get serious about baking then I am going to need a portfolio, and what better way to keep a portfolio than to keep a baking blog. So for my first week of baking I decided to bake some cupcakes. I think cupcakes are pretty overrated, but essential in today’s pastry market. You know... the pastry market. Its right up there with the stock market and the farmers market... Yup. 

               I ran out of powdered sugar so my butter cream frosting was a little bit of a failure, but I did figure out the magic of powdered sugar. Low and behold, you can make powdered sugar at home by blending up 1 tablespoon of corn starch with 1 cup of (drum roll please) white table sugar! Pure magic.  ...but then I ran out of white sugar. Still a bit of a failure, but yummy all the same. 

What you need:

• 1 cup nondairy milk
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar 
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 canola oil 
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 

What to do: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a greased muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk the milk and vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside for a few minutes to get good and curdled. (Vegan buttermilk)
3. Beat together the milk mixture, oil, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. 
4. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix until no large lumps remain.
5. Fill cupcake liners two-thirds of the way and bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack, and let cool completely before frosting. (see below for frosting directions)

Citrus Buttercream: 

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted vegan butter (I used the Earth Balance brand)
• 3.5 cups sifted powdered sugar 
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1/2 orange
• 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. orange juice

Chocolate Ganache:

Chocolate lava!

• 2/3 Cup nondairy milk
• 8 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
• 3 Tbsp. agave nectar 

1. In a small saucepan bring the milk to a boil then lower heat to a simmer. 
2. Add the chocoate chips and agave nectar. Turn heat off and mix until thoroughly melted. 
3. Let cool for about 15 minutes before using.
4. Before icing your cupcakes poke a little hole in the center and fill it with a tablespoon of the cooled ganache
5. Spread a thin layer over the top 
6. Now frost your cupcakes! 
7. NOW EAT A CUPCAKE! 

Music to bake to... because Grimes is cute like a cupcake!