Frenchy You Makin' Me Coconuts

This week's cupcake is a french vanilla cupcake with coconut buttercream frosting with coconut flakes on top.  It is flavorful and tropical and just plain goes well together.  Coconut makes everything seem a little like you're on an island and this cupcake will put you right there like you're sipping a vanilla cocktail straight out of a coconut on a beach with your feet in the sand. Just like that.  No frills, just tropics or the French Riviera since the french vanilla made it's way into this cupcake.  Who knows maybe eat this cupcake in a speedo or topless.

The cupcakes recipe yielded about 30 cupcakes.  The frosting yielded about 30 so it was perfect.  Remember to preheat your oven to 350 degrees and that is important if you want the cupcakes to bake and I'm not implying that we may have forgotten at first but it happens sometimes so don't forget.

Frenchy You Makin' Me Coconuts (just came up with that)

3 cups of soy milk
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
4 1/2 cups of flour
1 3/4 tablespoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
2 1/2 cups of sugar (we used raw cane)
1 cup of oil (we prefer sunflower)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons hazelnut (this is the fancy french part)

whisk the lemon and soy together in a bowl and set and set aside, sift all the dry ingredients together, whisk the soymilk, oil, vanilla and hazelnut together until foamy and then add the dry ingredients half at a time until combined

bake about 15-18 minutes or until your toothpick isn't covered in raw batter.


Frrrrrrrrosting 

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup of vegan margarine
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup of coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons of coconut extract

whip the shortening and margarine together for about 2 minutes, add extract, coconut milk and sugar 1/2 cup at a time and mix well

After the cupcakes cooled and were able to be frosted they were rolled in coconut flakes.  Those funny little cupcakes were making snow angels in the coconut flakes, it was cute.

These are versatile cupcakes.  They are good for bake sales, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, anniversaries, your favorite band is coming to town or to celebrate an upcoming vacation or the return from one.

You are gonna go coconuts!

The music of Steely Dan helped to make these cupcakes a little jazzy.  The cupcakes kept requesting really steel drums but we don't have access to a steel drum record at such short notice.

Tip of the day: Life isn't always sweet so eat more cupcakes.

Until next time sugar kisses and cupcakes dreams.