Thursday, November 03, 2011

Vegan Vanilla and Agave Nectar Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World


This Sunday was supposed to have been my very first vegan bake sale at a local fair called the Sunday Soul Sante. I kept putting off the registering because of sheer laziness and procrastination but then a fellow vegan who makes delicious cheezes out of nuts and tofu very kindly offered to split her stall with me. It was just the push I needed. But yesterday when I called her to confirm, she said that the Sante had been postponed because of the rains. The new date hasn't been fixed yet and it might be a couple of weeks at least before I know.

But in a way it's a good thing that it's not this weekend because now I can relax and prepare. Try a few new recipes, buy ingredients in bulk and get the packaging details organized. I know that cakes and cookies wrapped in cellophane with a little ribbon look adorable but I'm really looking for a more environmentally friendly option.

Since I was all agog with the idea of baking this week, I decided to go ahead and make something special yesterday. So I broke out my copy of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World.

Vegan Vanilla and Agave Nectar Cupcakes

I bought this book over a year ago and have truly enjoyed reading it over and over again. The writing style is so amusing and the cupcake photos are TDF! However, I hadn't gotten around to baking anything from it because my older 12 cup nonstick pan doesn't fit into my current oven. But a few weeks ago I treated myself to a 9 cup pan (shiny aluminum, as recommended in the book) and had been really looking forward to taking it for a spin. And finally yesterday it happened. :) I decided to make the Simple Vanilla and Agave Nectar Cupcakes from page 44 of VCTOTW.

This is my first time baking cupcakes with a proper cupcake recipe. In the past I've just used plain yellow cake and brownie batter to make cupcakes. I must say that when using a proper cupcake recipe, the difference in texture is stark!! I was simply blown away by the sponginess and perfect crumb. I *finally* understand what the big deal is with cupcakes as compared to a slice of regular cake. LOL

Needless to say, my baking is going to involve only cupcakes for a while.

Vegan Vanilla and Agave Nectar Cupcakes

I frosted these cupcakes with Vegan Fluffy Buttercream Frosting from page 142. Thanks to a very generous friend of mine, I had some delicious vegan margarine from Australia in my fridge and I also had some non hydrogenated Earth Balance shortening remaining from last year's stock. So I used them and modified the recipe slightly by replacing the soymilk/creamer with cold espresso.

I sprinkled the frosting with dark chocolate shavings, instant coffee granules and drizzled on some liquified chocolate rum ganache. Finally I topped each cupcake with a dark chocolate chunk.

My very first cupcake decorating attempt and it was so much fun! :)

Something crazy happened too. I'd left the cupcake on the window sill and had stepped away for a moment but when I returned, the cupcake had disappeared. I checked the hidden camera and my jaw dropped as I watched the hijack!

14 comments:

  1. haha get ready to get addicted. I wanted to bake nothing but cupcakes when i got that book! Yours look fab.

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  2. HAHA!! That video was soooo clever and cute! I love it. If you are now going to be making tons of cupcakes, might I suggest sharing them? Especially with me :) wink wink

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  3. Yummmmmm. You did a beautiful job with the frosting! Those look so amazingly good.

    For six or seven months after I got VCTOTW, I would go to a friend's house once a week and bake cupcakes. It was a good time in all of our lives. A good, cupcakey time.

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  4. They look absolutely gorgeous!

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  5. The cupcakes look soooo yummy! Wish I could get my frosting to look that good. I love this cookbook! I've made several recipes and all are awesome- except for the chai latte. I've tried to make the chai latte cupcakes 3 times and all have failed- not sure why:( Otherwise, much recommended cookbook.

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  6. love that hijack... i'd do the same thing if i was every close to one! there might be a big nasty fight between me..the cute mini monsters, and the crow on the window sill!!:))

    Richa @ Hobby And More Food Blog

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  7. What luck that you happened to have your secret camera up to catch those cupcake robbers! Those cupcakes look amazing! I just received VCTOTW recently as a gift. I need to crack that book open and get started!

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  8. Thanks for the heads up Sal. LOL

    Cara, come on over. What are cupcakes if not for sharing? :)

    Coldandsleepy, wow that sounds like so much fun!! I need to find a friend to do that with here.

    Thanks Emma. :)

    Hope, you're too kind. Compared to the amazing frosting art in the book mine is nothing.

    Richa, now I'd like to get a video of that! :D

    Cadry, what an awesome gift to get! Enjoy your cupcake-ing adventures. :)

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  9. Oh man all my buddies are here at your house having a party...I'm sorry I'm late. I lovvve those agave cupcakes. Those are one of my faves from that terrific book. More claymation, More claymation. At least you got those thieves on tape.
    You are ridiculously talented.xo

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  10. Oho! I should have known that they were YOUR minions hijacking my cupcake GiGi!!

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  11. :) Actually I think they were Cara's.

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  12. The cupcakes turned out so perfect looking! I could totally go for one of those right now. Mmmmm... :)

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  13. GiGi, you're probably right that they're not your minions. Why would the baked goods queen of Veganville need to steal??! And they aren't Cara's guys either because she nicely asked for a share. So now the mystery is... whose minions are these guys?

    :oP

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