Apple Spice Cupcakes with [Green] Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter (100g)
2 large eggs
1 tbsp pure vanliia extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teasp salt
1 3/4 teasp baking powder
3 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp ginger
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup milk/soymilk
1 tbsp lemon juice
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line muffin pans with cake papers
2. In a medium bowl beat sugar and fat with a mixer on medium setting until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
3. Combine salt, flour and baking powder in another medium bowl and stir with a fork before adding to creamed mixture.
4. Stir in lemon juice and milk and mix until smooth.
5. Fill each cup 2/3 of the way to the top with batter.
6. Fill empty cups 1/2 way with water, and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the tops of the cupcakes are golden.
Take cupcakes out of muffin pans to cool.
For frosting, if I’m going with basic buttercream, I look no further than Amy Sedaris. Her recipe is exceedingly simple (found here on Epicurious):
* 1 box confectioners’ sugar
* 1 stick unsalted butter
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/4 cup milk or light cream
* food coloring (optional)
In a bowl combine: one box of confectioners’ sugar, one stick of unsalted butter, one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup of milk or light cream and beat for a while. Really whip it, don’t be afraid to get in there.
I’ve now gotten to the point where I just toss a stick of butter, a quarter cup of milk, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract into the bowl and add confectioners sugar until I get the taste and consistency I like. Sometimes it’s about 4 cups, more often around 6-8. If you’re adding food coloring, I highly recommend using gel or paste (gels can be found in the baking isle of your local grocery store, usually by other food dyes and decorating icings; Wilton pastes are easy to find at Michael’s craft store) over liquids to not upset the balance of your frosting. As soon as everything is mixed, add the coloring. Don’t wait too long to add it, though, or you may end up with over-whipped frosting. (If this does happen, just pop it in the fridge for a few to let it harden a bit.)
Happy cupcaking!
Gels are totally better than liquid: you need less to get intense coloring, and they don’t mess with the consistency of your frosting.