Monday, May 27, 2013

Pineapple cupcakes with lime frosting

My mother in law turned 75 a couple of weeks ago. It was a lovely celebration. All her children came together to be with her on Mothers' day. It was a weekend filled with laughter, old photographs and memories, the lovely companionship of my 3 sisters in law and an over indulgence in food. There was chole, aalu parathas, dahi vadas, salted caramel cupcakes and falafel sandwiches. When the big day arrived on May 14th, everyone was craving simple food. Never have I seen so much excitement for "anna saaru" (loose translation-rice and a tomato lentil stew). But birthdays need to be celebrated with something sweet.  I made these vegan pineapple cupcakes and they were perfect- across between kesari and a cake. Light but indulgent and extremely satisfying. 

 


Cake (slightly adapted from the Smitten Kitchen)

Makes about 16 cupcakes

2 cups (250 grams or 8 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1tsp cardamom powder
1/2 tsp saffron strands

1/2 c grape seed oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup (237 ml) coconut milk
1 cup (72 grams or 2 1/2 ounces) finely chopped fresh pineapple
*1 tbsp cornstarch 

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and spray the insides with cooking spray.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Add the cardamom and saffron and mix together.

In a larger bowl, cream the sugars and the oil together. Add the coconut milk and cornstarch and  pineapple and whisk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients in two batches and whisk until just combined.

Spoon into the cupcake liners making sure not to fill more than 2/3rds of the way. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then cool on a wire rack.

*If I make this again, I will up the cornstarch, I felt the cake needed more of the binding action.

For the frosting
Adapted from Vegan cupcakes rule the world


2 cups sugar 
seeds from 4 pods of cardamom
1 lime juiced
2 tbsps vegan butter

Powder the sugar and the cardamom together in a blender (or mix together powdered sugar and cardamom powder together). Juice the lime into a separate container.Cream together the sugar and the vegan butter together. Add the lime juice a teaspoon at a time and blend with a fork until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. Keep the frosting in the fridge until ready to use. 

Frost the top of the cupcakes once they are completely cooled. Top with a grape half

** Leftover frosting is a great dip for strawberries.




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