Demetria will take it from here…
Vanessa said, “go decadent – we’re going to spray paint everything gold” – so I did. Saffron, the stigma of the fall flowering crocus, is one of the most expensive spices by weight, and with it’s distinctive taste and ability to add a rich golden color – it’s one of the easiest ways to fancy up a recipe. However, before you reject it – a little goes a long way, once you’ve got a jar of this you can stretch it out far- 1 gram can translate into about 10 different recipes – so think of it as a classy investment!
I paired the saffron buttercream with orange blossom water cupcakes, because doesn’t that sound like a light and beautiful combination? The saffron flavor hits you at first, making the buttercream richer and almost more butter-y tasting, and then the orange blossom floats on in and leaves you with a nice light, floral, citrus-y taste. A cupcake dream. These cupcakes are decadent and luxurious, but still so delicious, a perfect recipe for some much needed treating yourself.
Orange Blossom Water Cupcakes with Vegan Saffron Buttercream
adapted from Isa Chandra’s Pistachio Rosewater Cupcakes in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
For more recipes, vegan and otherwise check out Engrained Baking !
makes about 12 cupcakes
½ cup vanilla non dairy yogurt (I used coconut)
⅔ cup non dairy milk (I used soy)
⅓ cup canola oil
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp of granulated sugar
1 ½ tablespoons orange blossom water (usually near the rosewater, I found it at Whole Foods)
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
zest of one small orange
pinch of salt
Directions
I. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
II. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, canola oil, sugar, and orange blossom water until well combined.
III. Sift together the flour, corstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix into the liquid mixture until the clumps disappear and batter is smooth. Whisk in the orange zest.
IV. Pour the batter into the cupcake liners until they are ¾ full.
V. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until cupcakes spring bakes spring back when touched in the center.
VI. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool until frosting.
Saffron Buttercream
½ cup non-hydrogenated shortening
½ cup non-hydrogenated margarine (I used Earth Balance)
3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
a pinch of chopped or ground saffron dissolved in warm 2 tbsp non dairy milk
¼ cup plain soy milk or creamer
Directions
I. Chop up a pinch of saffron into dissolvable bits. Dissolve in 2 tbsp of warm non dairy milk.
II. Beat the shortening and margarine together until well-combined and fluffy. Add the sifted sugar and beat for 3 more minutes.
III. Add the safrron milk, making sure to extract all the color and flavor from the saffron bits and then gradually add the soy milk until the buttercream is thick and fluffy.
Recipe by Demetria Provatas at Engrained Blog
Note from Vanessa: For the pictures we spray painted the cupcakes gold with this stuff. It tasted a bit odd and I wouldn’t recommend it for the actual recipe. But it made for pretty for a photo!
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