Sundae Kind of Love

     

I love color. I love every single color!

I love Red

and Orange

oh and I adore Yellow

surely I love Green

I love the calming sensations of Blue

and I love the backdrop for the stars that is given by Indigo

and who could forget about the vivaciousness of Violet

What can I say, I’m a color lovin kinda gal! I tend to steer clear from plain jane characteristics. But every now and again, generally while in Trader Joe’s shopping for breakfast food, it occurs to me how much I adore Vanilla. Vanilla yogurt with vanilla granola and oh my Vanilla Cupcakes with vanilla beans!

                                 

Using vanilla beans in cupcakes is a way good idea. Like big time. Like not having expectations for holidays like Valentines Day and New Year’s Eve good idea. That’s always a good idea.

                                

Making these cupcakes is also a good idea. Doooooooooooo it!

      

Vanilla Cupcakes
adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

Ingredients:

For the cake:

120g plain flour
140g caster sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
40g unsalted butter, at room temperature
120ml whole milk
1 egg
¼tsp vanilla extract

¼ vanilla bean with seeds scraped out

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3.
2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.
3. Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.
4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched.
5. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Meringue Buttercream

found on the wonderful Joy the Baker’s blog here

Ingredients:

4 ounces egg whites

8 ounces granulated sugar

12 ounces unsalted butter, softened

pinch of salt

Preparation:

Place a medium sized pan with about 3 inches of water over medium heat.  Place egg whites and salt in a medium sized bowl to create a double boiler over the simmering water.

Once water is simmering, place bowl of egg whites over water, making sure that simmering water does not touch the bottom of the egg white bowl.  Whisk egg whites and gradually add 8 ounces of sugar.

Whisk egg whites and sugar over double boiler, whisking constantly, until sugar is completely dissolved, about 5-8 minutes.

Remove egg white bowl from double boiler and pour egg white and sugar mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer.  With the whisk attachment, whisk egg white and sugar on medium speed for about 4 minutes.

While the eggs are whisking, cut softened butter into large chunks, about 8 chunks per stick of butter.  When egg white mixture has body and is slightly cooked, stop the mixer and switch to the paddle attachment.  With the mixer on medium speed, add butter one chunk at a time, letting each chunk of butter incorporate into the egg white mixture for about 20 seconds.

Continue to slowly add the butter chunks, stopping the mixer to scrape down the bowl as necessary.

As you are adding the last chunks of butter, the buttercream will start to look curdled.  Don’t worry, just keep the mixer going and add the remaining butter, it will all come together, and the curdled look will disappear.