French Vanilla Cappuccino Cupcakes

Not to complain, but it’s been cold and rainy around here the past few days.

This means that I tend to stop at the nearby coffee shop more often these days in search of a warm drink.

Problem is that I don’t drink coffee. I love the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, however I find the taste so bitter and I can’t find the right balance between milk and sugar that I just gave up. Call it child-like tastes, but when it comes to my choice of drinks, I always pick hot chocolate or french vanilla cappuccino ( and just so you know, I am under no pretense that it is anything remotely close to an actual cappuccino).

So when I was trying to think of a cupcake to make on the weekend, all I could think of was a warm and creamy french vanilla.

French Vanilla Cappuccino Cupcakes

I amped up the vanilla in these cupcakes so that it wouldn’t be overpowered by the addition of espresso powder, and then topped them off with a super creamy and lightly sweet  vanilla frosting.

makes 18 cupcakes

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F . Line your muffin pans with liners and set aside
2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar together until light and fluff, about 3  minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in the vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, combine espresso powder, flour and baking powder. Add the flour to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat until smooth.
4. Fill each of the liners about 2/3 of the way full and pop into the oven for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let cool completely, then top with Light and Fluffy Vanilla Frosting (below).

Light and Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

adapted from Epicurious

• 1 cup milk ( I used 2%)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup of the milk and the flour, whisking until smooth.
2. Set over medium heat, and slowly add the remaining milk, stirring constantly.  Continue to cook until thickened. You want it to be about as thick as custard. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla, continuing to stir for another couple minutes. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
3. Meanwhile, beat together the butter and the icing sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk mixture and continue to beat for a couple minutes, or until light and fluffy. I switched to the whisk attachment to get it extra fluffy, but you don’t have to.
4. Store any leftover frosting in the refrigerator.

My brother’s fiance H said these were here favourite cupcakes I’ve made yet!

– Mel

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I linked this recipe to Strut Your Stuff Saturdays and:

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

Sometimes, Mr. Ginge calls me on the way home from work and asks me what I am making for dessert. Not dinner. Dessert.

There are times when his sweet tooth rules. Even though I do run a dessert focused blog, there are times when I don’t have anything made. We then go through a mental list he keeps of all the treats he really enjoys, hoping that he’ll say something that I have both the time and ingredients to make.  Bread pudding? Rice pudding? Flan? Cake.

Cupcakes. White ones. With white frosting. With little sprinkles on top.

Or you know. Whatever.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

makes 18 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

• 1 c sugar
• 1/2 c butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 c flour
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk ( or 1 tbsp lemon juice with enough milk to make one cup and stirred)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease or line your muffin pan with liners.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add in the vanilla extract
4. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add one third of the flour, alternating with half the buttermilk, until all combined and you have a smooth batter.
5. Fill you cups about 2/3 full with batter, and bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Move to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

adapted from my Mini Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

For the frosting:

• 3/4 c butter, softened
• 3 c icing sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean
• 3 tbsp milk or cream
• sprinkles for decorating ( optional)

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter until creamy. 
2. Slit open the vanilla bean with the tip of a sharp knife, and carefully scrape the seeds from the pod and add to the bowl. ( Save the pod though! Use it to make vanilla sugar or vanilla extract)
3. Mix in the vanilla extract, and gradually add the sugar. Add the milk , a tablespoon at a time. Mix until light and fluffy. 
4. Scoop the icing into a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice, then pipe on to your cooled cupcakes. Alternatively, you can just spread your icing on top of the cupcakes. 
5. Top with your sprinkles if desired ( I used white non-pareils)

Enjoy!

-Mel