Pineapple Basil Cupcake

Here is the second installment in the Iron Cupcake: Earth challenge...Basil. This month I am entering a light and delicate lemon infused cupcake filled with fresh pineapple compote laced with basil syrup and topped with vanilla basil frosting. It turned out very well if I do say so myself. The basil is a nice addition to the sweet pineapple filling. It's refreshing even. A nice way to say goodbye to summer, and to use up some of the giant basil plants in the garden!

Voting will begin on Sunday, September 28 at 12 noon CST at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE IN A CORNER and will be open through Thursday, October 1 at 12 noon.
The Winner will be posted on that same blog page the night of October 1, before 11:59 p.m.

The prizes are fabulous, as usual...I sure would love this ring by ETSY artist METAL SUGAR.
And the monthly prizes from the corporate sponsors are super too, and include:
The complete line of HEAD  CHEFS from Fiesta Products ; a copy of the new book HELLO, CUPCAKE; a luxury hostess apron from JESSIE STEELE; the next generation of the CUPCAKE COURIER; and a new publication from the library of TASTE OF HOME BOOKS.

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Lemon Cupcakes
(Slightly tweaked version of Golden Vanilla Cupcake recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.)

Ingredients:

1 cup soy milk
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
¾ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
⅓ cup canola oil
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1¼ tsp. lemon extract
zest of one lemon, grated

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk the soy milk and vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside for a few minutes to get good and curdled.
3. Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and mix.
4. In a separate large bowl, use a handheld mixer at medium speed to Beat together the soy milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla, and other extracts, if using, in a large bowl.
5. Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients and mix until no large lumps remain.
6. Stir in lemon zest.
7. 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.


Basil Simple Syrup
Yield
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil

Preparation

1. Stir together all 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and boil 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let stand 30 minutes. Pour liquid through a wire-mesh strainer into an airtight container, discarding basil. Cover and chill 4 hours. Syrup may be stored in refrigerator up to 1 month.
(I learned that you can also make basil martinis and other concoctions with the leftover syrup... Google it!)

Pineapple filling

1/2 c. sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 c. drained, crushed pineapple
4 Tbsp. basil simple syrup
Dash salt
Pinch nutmeg

Combine ingredients, cook stirring constantly until thick and clear. Cool before using.

To fill cupcakes, cut a circular cone shape from the top of the cooled cupcake with a small knife. Excavate a little larger cavity in there for the filling to fit using a small spoon or knife. Pipe the filling into the hole. Cut the point off of the removed cone, and replace the "lid" of the cone on top of the filled cake. Eat the little cone shaped part of the cupcake that you don't need :)


Vanilla Basil Frosting

1/2 cup soy margarine, softened
1/4 cup soy milk
3 cups Powdered Sugar (plus more if needed)
1 t. vanilla
3 Tbsp. Basil simple syrup
6 chopped basil leaves

Using an electric mixer cream together the soy margarine and soy milk. Add half of the sugar, and beat well. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to beat the mixture until light and fluffy. If too runny, add more powdered sugar a teaspoon at a time; and if too thick, add more soy milk one teaspoon at a time.