White Cupcakes and Vegan Orange Frosting

This weekend marks the second gathering of the Yogi Book-club. Our first book, Committed (the follow up to Eat, Pray, Love) seemed like the perfect first read for our group. As is becoming our custom, the time is filled with good conversation, drinks and lots of good things to eat.

For this particular book-club I decided to make a summer salad and cupcakes! I have been on quite the cupcake binge the last few weeks so I ended up making two different options and here is the favorite: White Cupcakes with Vegan Orange Buttercream Frosting. Yum Yum.

I really liked the texture and moistness of these cupcakes. They are very light, almost cake like, but are soft and hold together well. I credit this to the flour I used, Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour, and the Coconut Oil. Both are great ingredients that can be used in almost anything.

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INGREDIENTS


Start to Finish: 55 minutes (not including cooling time)

Makes: 12 cupcakes

White Cupcakes

• 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour

• 1 cup organic cane sugar

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp xanthan gum

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 cup unsweetened soy milk, room temp

• 2 extra large eggs, room temp

• ¼ cup virgin coconut oil, melted

• 2 tbsp vanilla extract

• juice and zest of 1 lemon

Vegan Orange Buttercream Frosting

• 3 tbsp soy butter, room temp

• 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar

• 1 tbsp vanilla

• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

• zest of 1 orange

Notes:

• If you would like a slightly sweeter cupcake, use sweetened soy milk in place of the unsweetened soy milk.

• If the frosting seems too thick, add a little more orange juice (1 tsp at a time) until it becomes spreadable. If it’s not thick enough, add in more powdered sugar (1 tbsp at a time) until it’s stiff but still spreadable.

INSTRUCTIONS


White Cupcakes
Start to Finish: 45 minutes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together soy milk, eggs, coconut oil, vanilla, lemon juice and zest. Add mixture into the dry ingredients, and mix until the batter is smooth.

4. Pour the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin liners. Bake in the center of a preheated oven, until dome shaped and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. About 20 minutes, depending upon your oven.

5. Cool the pan briefly, then gently pop out the cupcakes and continue cooling on a wire rack.

6. Once completely cooled, frost the cupcakes and cover in an airtight container. They are best eaten the first day but if you are making them ahead of time, they can also be wrapped individually and frozen.

Vegan Orange Buttercream Frosting
Start to Finish: 10 minutes

1. Place butter into a large mixing bowl and beat until it is fluffy (using a hand or stand mixer).

2. With mixer running slowly, add in 2 cups of powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, and beat until crumbly. Scraping down the sides of the mixer as often as necessary.

3. Beat in orange juice, orange zest and vanilla.

4. Slowly add in remaining powdered sugar, beating slowly, until fully incorporated.

5. Use immediately.