Baby B and His Birthday Cupcakes

It is hard for me to wrap it around my head that Alistaire turned a year old today. Everything that went so slowly with my two oldest just seemed to fly with him. Where they walked steady at a normal rate, little man tears around and barely teeters or falls, and has walked since he was 10½ months. I crossed my fingers he would fit in his 1st birthday onesie this morning, it was a tight squeeze 😉 It will be interesting to see his height and weight next week, at his 1 year checkup.

(Where does “B” come from? It was Walker’s name for the Baby, when he came home)

He was my biggest baby, 10 lb., 7 ounces born at 38 weeks and well over 22″ long. He came out ready to take on the world….or at least it felt like that. He is my little snuggler. If I was given a gift, it was getting a baby that loves me so much.

After going through a 3-ring circus I got all the boys together and tried to get at least one photo where they all smiled. Oh well. Two out of three is just fine. Hah….

Alistaire (1), Ford (15), and Walker (almost 3).

Walker decided B needed balloons. Lots of them. We all know who is playing with them, right? Yes.

Cupcakes? Of course! I took a well-tested and favorite vegan vanilla recipe of mine, and changed it up a bit, decorated in blue for my little man.

Coconut-Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1¾ cups white whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
• ¾ cup Coconut Palm Sugar or my favorite, Wholesome Sweeteners
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° and line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners (used Reynolds StayBrite).
Stir the vinegar into the milk, let sit for 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the milk mixture, oil, sugar and vanilla together till smooth. Pour on top of the dry ingredients, whisk till combined.
Divide evenly between the prepared cupcake liners (use a disher for best results).
Bake for 20 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean – be careful they do not over bake.
Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Frost when cool.
Makes 12 cupcakes.

Vanilla Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 lb powdered sugar, preferably organic
• 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated shortening (Spectrum Naturals Organic Shortening)
• ¼ cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• Natural coloring, if desired

Directions:

Beat sugar through salt together with a hand mixer, till smooth. Color as desired.

Frosting will be stiff, for piping. If desired, add more milk for a creamier frosting.

Pipe frosts 12, spread on, will cover up to 24.

The finishing sugar is via Wilton (the clear is dye free).

Little man enjoying the rare winter sun….

~Sarah