Wanna Green Bean

13 January 2008

Vegan Orange Pudding Cupcakeness

I am not vegetarian, let alone vegan, but I know many people who are. I bought this really awesome cookbook for a really awesome friend who blogs on a really awesome pet blog, and I couldn’t help but go through it before sending it on its way. It was hard not photocopying the whole thing, but I restrained myself and pulled only a few recipes out.

The cookbook was Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, writting by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. If you haven’t seen this book, pick a copy up for yourself. These authors’ other books are awesome as well.

I was vegetarian back in the day (I won’t say how long ago, that just makes me feel old). I was young and had no idea what I was doing beyond not eating meat. It became a pain in the butt because I was young, dependent on my parents yet, and my dad was big on making roasts for dinner, so I eventually stopped.

Living on my own was the next time I came close to being vegetarian. I didn’t do it on purpose, it was just easier and cheaper to make meals without as much meat, or with no meat at all.

Since buying this book for my friend, I’ve become re-interested in vegetarian and vegan foods. They are healthier, cheaper, and you’re helping sweet furry cuddly animals. I could probably be vegetarian again one day, but it would be some serious work to be vegan. I love egg and dairy products too much, I don’t know if I could live without cheese (no matter how much I’ve found out its really not good for you).

I decided to make one batch of the special flavors of cupcakes from the cookbook, the orange pudding cupcakes, and a batch of plain golden cupcakes with chocolate frosting. The initial results weren’t as amazing as I expected. Right out of the oven they were a little dry, and more earthy than sweet tasting.

I decided to use my friends as food guinea pigs though, and fed them a few too see what they thought. All of my taste testers thought they were great and were really surprised when I told them that they were vegan. They didn’t agree with me at all about the flavors. Since there was such a consensus about how great they were I had to try another one.

They taste better the next day! They became moister and the sweet flavor associated with cupcakes were there. So if you make these and aren’t overly impressed as soon as they come out of the oven, frost them, and let them sit and develop their animal free cupcake-y goodness.

Orange Pudding Cupcakes

These are some tasty citrus cupcakes. I used orange buttercream frosting instead of the ganache used in the recipe in the book. These were light, and I didn’t want to overpower them with a big blob of chocolate on the top (even though chocolate orange is the awesome!). I also didn’t have any marmalade on hand, so I just omitted that part.

Skip to just the recipe.

Start by making the orange pudding:

3/4 c soy milk
1/2 c fresh squeezed orange juice
3 tbsp tapioca flour, cornstarch or arrow root
1/4 c plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp of turmeric for color (optional)
1 tsp finely grated orange zest

Whisk together the soy milk, orange juice, tapioca flour, sugar, vanilla and tumeric (if using) in a small heavy bottomed saucepan. (I used a spoon because I’m once again house-sitting and am whiskless, and its a nonstick saucepan.) I used cornstarch because that is what I had on hand, but I think one of the other choices would work better, the cornstarch left the pudding starchy tasting (but still good).

Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is warm and steaming, whisking occasionally.

When the mixture is warm, reduce the heat to low, and stir constantly for 5 minutes as the mixture thickens. When the pudding becomes too thick for a whisk switch to a fork (or like me stick with the spoon).

When the mixture is sufficiently thick and pudding-y, turn off the heat and fold in the orange zest, mixing for another minute.

Transfer the pudding to a bowl and let cool for 10 minutes until the mixture stops steaming. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, it will continue to thicken as it cools.

Next make the cupcakes:

1/3 c canola oil
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c soy milk
1/2 c fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp finely grated orange zest.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Measure out the flour in a small bowl.

In a large bowl combine the oil, sugar, soy milk, orange juice, and vanilla.

To that mixture add 1 tbsp of flour from the flour in the bowl and mix until combined. This will help emulsify the mixture.

As you can see in the picture before adding the flour, there are large blobs of oil dispersed throughout, after mixing in the flour, there are still drops of oil, but they are smaller and more evenly dispersed.

Sift together the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three batches, mixing well after each addition until smooth.

Fold in the orange zest and mix to distribute.

Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. (I love my silicone muffin tray by the way.)

Bake for 20-22 minutes at 350 degrees F. The tops should spring back when touched, and a toothpick come out clean when inserted into the center of a cupcake.

Remove from the muffin tin and cool completely on a baking rack before filling with the pudding, or frosting.

Orange Buttercream Frosting

1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup margarine, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl combine the margarine and shortening until well combined.

Add the confectioners sugar in about 1/2 cup additions.

After each addition of sugar, add a splash of orange juice and beat well with mixers on medium speed.

Add the vanilla and beat for another 3-5 minutes until the frosting is smooth, creamy and fluffy. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. (I put mine in a plastic ziplock bag.)

Assemble

Fit a pastry bag with the widest tip possible, and fill the bag with pudding (use common sense when doing this). Or take a plastic ziplock bag and fill with pudding. Using scissors snip of a corner of the bag to create a poor mans pastry bag.

Using your finger, poke a hole in the top of each cupcake and kind of squish the cupcake around so there is room to pipe pudding into the centers. (High tech I know!)

Pipe the pudding into the cupcakes. Do this by sticking the bag as far as you can into the cupcake, and squeeze the pudding in while supporting the cupcake with your other hand. You want to fill them up as much as possible, don’t be afraid if a little comes out the top of the cupcakes.

When all of the cupcakes are filled use your finger to wipe off access pudding (or a knife if you’re sanitary like that or are feeding them to other people).

Pipe the orange buttercream frosting ontop of the cupcakes decoratively. Or just use a knife or spatula and slap some on there, they’ll taste good either way!

Set the cupcakes in the refrigerator to set the frosting. Eat. (They taste best the second day after the orange and sweetness has had time to soak through the entire cupcake.)

Just the Recipe:

Ingredients

For the pudding:

3/4 c soy milk
1/2 c fresh squeezed orange juice
3 tbsp tapioca flour, cornstarch or arrow root
1/4 c plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp of turmeric for color (optional)
1 tsp finely grated orange zest

The cupcakes:

1/3 c canola oil
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c soy milk
1/2 c fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp finely grated orange zest.

Orange Buttercream Frosting:
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup margarine, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the pudding:

Whisk together the soy milk, orange juice, tapioca flour, sugar, vanilla and tumeric (if using) in a small heavy bottomed saucepan.

Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is warm and steaming, whisking occasionally.

When the mixture is warm, reduce the heat to low, and stir constantly for 5 minutes as the mixture thickens. When the pudding becomes too thick for a whisk switch to a fork.

When the mixture is sufficiently thick and pudding-y, turn off the heat and fold in the orange zest, mixing for another minute.

Transfer the pudding to a bowl and let cool for 10 minutes until the mixture stops steaming. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, it will continue to thicken as it cools.

Next make the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Measure out the flour in a small bowl.

In a large bowl combine the oil, sugar, soy milk, orange juice, and vanilla. To that mixture add 1 tbsp of flour from the flour in the bowl and mix until combined. This will help emulsify the mixture.

Sift together the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three batches, mixing well after each addition until smooth.

Fold in the orange zest and mix to distribute.

Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. (I love my silicone muffin tray by the way.) Bake for 20-22 minutes at 350 degrees F. The tops should spring back when touched, and a toothpick come out clean when inserted into the center of a cupcake.

Remove from the muffin tin and cool completely on a baking rack before filling with the pudding, or frosting.

Orange Buttercream Frosting

In a small bowl combine the margarine and shortening until well combined. Add the confectioners sugar in about 1/2 cup additions. After each addition of sugar, add a splash of orange juice and beat well with mixers on medium speed.

Add the vanilla and beat for another 3-5 minutes until the frosting is smooth, creamy and fluffy. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble

Fit a pastry bag with the widest tip possible, and fill the bag with pudding (use common sense when doing this). Or take a plastic ziplock bag and fill with pudding. Using scissors snip of a corner of the bag to create a poor mans pastry bag.

Using your finger, poke a hole in the top of each cupcake and kind of squish the cupcake around so there is room to pipe pudding into the centers.

Pipe the pudding into the cupcakes. Do this by sticking the bag as far as you can into the cupcake, and squeeze the pudding in while supporting the cupcake with your other hand. You want to fill them up as much as possible, don’t be afraid if a little comes out the top of the cupcakes.

When all of the cupcakes are filled use your finger to wipe off access pudding (or a knife if you’re sanitary like that or are feeding them to other people).

Pipe the orange buttercream frosting ontop of the cupcakes decoratively. Or just use a knife or spatula and slap some on there, they’ll taste good either way!

Set the cupcakes in the refrigerator to set the frosting. Eat. (They taste best the second day after the orange and sweetness has had time to soak through the entire cupcake.)

Tags: baked, dessert, fruit, snacks, vegan, vegetarian

January 13, 2008, 11:56:47 AM | Permalink | Subscribe | Stumble It! |