Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Yesterday was my oldest son’s birthday. 17. Yes, 17! How fast a child growing up can leave one feeling old…..

Ford asked for vanilla cake, and while vanilla might be perceived as “bland”, it need not be!

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage
• 1½ tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1/3 cup sunflower oil
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean, scraped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° and line a 12 cup muffin tin with premium liners.

Stir the vinegar into the coconut milk and let sit for 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl sift the dry ingredients together.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk the coconut milk mixture, oil, sugar and both 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, they will have a light color on top. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese (full fat or lower fat), left at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean, scraped
• Pinch fine sea salt
• 6 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Add butter and cream cheese to a stand mixer bowl. Beat on low until smooth, add in both vanilla and salt, beat smooth. Add in sugar slowly, beating in each addition.

Frost as desired. Let frosted cupcakes set up on counter, then store in refrigerator loosely covered. The recipe makes enough for piped frosting on 12 cupcakes, if you prefer to spread frosting on, you will have leftovers (oh darn!).

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Notes:

Never scraped a vanilla bean before? See this easy to follow tutorial on Rodelle’s website.

FTC Disclosure: 

We received product samples via IFBC 2014 in Seattle provided by Rodelle, used in this recipe.