National Vanilla Cupcake Day
Last updated on June 30th, 2022 at 10:09 am
Pies and cakes are a thing of the past! Cupcakes are the latest craze to hit the food world. Food Networks Cupcake Wars is a great example of this fad- an entire show devoted to the creation of unique, decorative, and tasty cupcake treats. Years ago your choices were chocolate or vanilla, but today cupcake varieties are endless. Bacon and Maple-Glazed, Lemon, Pumpkin Spice, Oreo….. The list can go on for quite some time. Yet, today is National Vanilla Cupcake Day. A day in which we pay homage to the original and perhaps most simplistic flavor. While other flavors will come and go, Vanilla Cupcakes are a time tested tradition. You’ve probably had a zillion different vanilla cupcakes in your lifetime, and yet each recipe tastes a bit different from the next. Today, on your menu add Vanilla Cupcakes to your dessert menu as a special treat for your customers. Years ago, We found this recipe in Bon Appetit Magazine and fell in love with its moist and delicious flavor. It may be a bit more complex than your average recipe, but it’s definitely worth the effort!
Vanilla Bean-Coconut Cupcakes
Ingredients
Reduced Coconut Milk:
- 2 13- to 14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk (preferably organic)
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup reduced coconut milk (see above), room temperature
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup reduced coconut milk (see above), room temperature
- Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted (for garnish)
- Bring coconut milk to boil in large deep saucepan over medium-high heat (coconut milk will boil up high in pan). Reduce heat to medium-low; boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat; cool completely. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill (coconut milk will settle slightly as it cools). (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
- Position rack in center of your Blodgett Single Deck Gas Convection Oven. Preheat to 350°F.
- Line eighteen 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
- Using an Immersion Blender, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in seeds from vanilla bean and remaining egg.
- Add half of flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Add 1 cup reduced coconut milk; mix just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Divide batter among muffin cups.
- Bake cupcakes until tops spring back when gently touched and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes in pans to rack; cool 10 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on rack.
- Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, 1/3 cup reduced coconut milk, seeds from vanilla bean, and salt. Beat on medium-low speed until blended, scraping down sides of bowl. Increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy.
- Using pastry bag fitted with large star tip, pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with coconut. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight containers; chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
