Basil Iron Cupcake Voting now open

Don't forget to go vote for Iron Cupcake: Earth, Basil
before Thursday Oct. 2 at noon CST.

Go to No One Puts Cupcake in a Corner to vote & see all the entries for the Basil challenge.

Thanks!

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.

The Basil that just won't quit

So, Expect to see another very special cupcake here, next week...
Iron Cupcake:Earth -- Challenge ingredient Basil will be posted next week.

Voting will take place beginning Sunday, September 28th at 12noon CST.

I'm pretty excited, as the basil plants in our garden will not stop growing! They are giant, and ready to compete in a delicious cupcake! :)

Rock the Vote!

Please, go vote for my Cupquake entered in the Iron Cupcake: Earth challenge today!

Remember, voting ends Thursday the 4th at noon CST.

Thanks everyone who has already voted!
:)

Iron Cupcake:Earth, Chili Pepper

By now you all know that I have been "working" on my cupcake entry for the Iron Cupcake challenge for the entire month of August. Well, today I'm finally finished with it. It's been a lengthy process filled with deep contemplation, recipe seeking and tweaking, and design planning. I think I did a pretty damn good job on it! I'm not a fan of spicy food, but my husband LOVES hot stuff. So he was my guinea pig yesterday while I baked. I've been giving these to anyone who will dare to eat one, and have received nothing but pleasant surprise and praise by all. I even tried one myself and was very happy with the results. The filling (and frosting) really offset the warm heat of the chilis. Plus it's all gooey and yummy.

So, here it is -- my Chocolate Chipotle del Muertos -- a chocolate chipotle cake filled with lime pudding, topped with lime cream cheese frosting, and of course, a fondant sugar skull and chilis. Because I believe that skulls look good on everything!

Now, onto the serious part... VOTE FOR ME!!!

To vote, go to No One Puts Cupcake in a Corner
Voting will start on August 31st and run through September 4th.

There are cool prizes that have been donated for this competition, and you can help me win them! The winner gets all this:
The complete line of HEAD  CHEFS from Fiesta Products , a copy of the new book HELLO, CUPCAKE, a one-of-a-kind piece of original CAKESPY art by ETSY artist Jessie Oleson; 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.

You can view all the entries for Iron Cupcake on the IRONCUPCAKE FLICKR GROUP page.

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Chocolate Chipotle Cupcake:
(Modified Basic Chocolate Cupcake from VCTOTW)

1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, Dutch processed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 chipotle peppers, seeded and minced (I used chipotles in adobo sauce)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
2. Whisk together soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla extract to the soy milk mixture and beat till foamy. Stir in chipotle peppers. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat till no large lumps remain.
3. Pour into liners, filling three quarters of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely.
- - -

Lime Pudding Filling:
1 pkg Mori-Nu silken firm tofu
8 oz soy cream cheese
1/2 cup persian lime juice
2 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 pkgs Mori-Nu Mates vanilla pudding mix
1 tablespoon liquid sweetener (I used maple syrup)


Drain water from the tofu. In a food processor blend tofu and lime juice until creamy and smooth - about a minute or so. Add the rest of the ingredients, and blend again until smooth - for about 3 minutes. Allow to chill 2-3 hours or until firm.

- - -

Lime Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 tablespoons margarine, softened
8 ounces Tofutti Cream Cheese
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
4 to 5 cups confectioners sugar

Cream together butter, cream cheese, lime juice and zest with an electric mixer. Add 4 cups confectioners sugar one cup at a time and continue beating. If frosting is too thin add more confectioners sugar, one tablespoon at a time until proper consistency is reached.

Peanut buttery Goodness

Peanut buttery Goodness
Originally uploaded by nicoleisvegan

I made a quick batch of vanilla cupcakes yesterday for Raise Studio's PR firm to sample. They looked boring with just the ganache on them, so this morning before our noon meeting (and cupcake hand-off time), i whipped up some peanut butter frosting from VCTOTW and piped it on there. I hadn't made it before, and wow! is it yummy. I even was kind enough to save a beater for Em to enjoy when she got home from school. (She promptly asked for another beater to lick).
Anyhow, I only made a dozen, so kevin & i didn't get to sample them. I'll need to make this again, or at least the peanut butter frosting!

Oh, and I should have my Iron Cupcake:Earth (chili peppers) entry up within a couple days. I just haven't had the time to make them yet! Voting will start on August 31st at 12 noon CST and close on September 4th at noon CST. Voting takes place at http://mkecupcakequeen.blogspot.com NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE IN A CORNER.

Cheers!

Again with the lavender...

lavender4
Originally uploaded by nicoleisvegan

This time around they were even better. I think i'll add this one to my repertoire. They were so good in fact, that the birthday girl ate many more than she ought to have. (you know i love you r.)
The photographs are better this time as well - the first ones (below) were somewhat of a rush job : )