VANILLA BEAN COCONUT CUPCAKES with GUAVA CURD - Plant Based
Vanilla Bean Coconut Cupcakes with Guava Curd (Plant Based)
Plant based vanilla bean coconut cupcakes with plant based vanilla buttercream and guava curd! I was surprised at how good these tasted when I made them.
Yield: 20-24 cupcakes or 3 x 8-inch rounds or 2 x 9-inch rounds
PREP IT!
For Vanilla Bean Coconut Cupcakes:
2¼ cups Flour, cake
½ teaspoons Baking soda
1½ teaspoon Baking powder
½ teaspoon Salt
½ cup Vegan butter, salted (I used Earth Balance Brand)
¼ cup Vegetable shortening (I used Crisco brand)
1½ cups Sugar, granulated
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
½ Vanilla bean pod, insides scraped
3 tablespoon Flax meal (ground flax seeds)
9 tablespoons Water
1/3 cups Vegan cream cheese (I used Tofutti Brand)
1/3 cup Coconut cream
1/3 cup Coconut milk, unsweetened
1 can Aquafaba - chickpea juice drained from can of chickpeas and reserved
For Plant Based Vanilla “Buttercream” Frosting:
½ cup (4 ounces) Vegan cream cheese (I used Tofutti Brand)
1½ cup (12 ounces) Vegan butter (I used Earth Balance Brand)
8 tablespoons (½ stick) Vegetable shortening (I used Crisco brand)
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
4 cups Powdered sugar (start with this and add ½ cup more at a time as needed)
2 tablespoons Coconut cream
For Guava Curd:
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
½ cup Sugar, granulated
1 cup Guava pureed
MAKE IT!
For Vanilla Bean Coconut Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare your cupcake pans by lining them with cupcake liners.
In a small cup or bowl, stir together flax meal and water. Set aside to thicken. This will provide the same binding functionality you would get if you were to add 3 eggs which is what the non-plant based version of this recipe calls for.
Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
Mix vegan butter, vegetable shortening, sugar, vanilla, and vanilla bean in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer, until it is fluffy and white in color.
Fold thick flax meal mixture into the wet mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk together vegan cream cheese, coconut cream, and coconut milk until smooth.
Fold a 1/3 of the dry mixture into the wet mixture then fold in 1/3 of the coconut milk mixture. Do this until all the ingredients have been incorporated.
In a clean bowl, using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or hand mixer, whisk chickpea juice (aquafaba) until it is the consistency of whipped egg whites and stiff peaks form. Gently fold the aquafaba into the batter until everything is evenly incorporated. This will provide some of the aeration and leavening (rise) functionality you would be getting from the egg whites in the 3 eggs the non-plant based version of this recipe calls for.
Immediately pour batter into cupcake pans and bake at 350F degrees for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool cupcakes completely on the countertop and remove from the pans. Place the layers in the fridge to chill before frosting.
Once completely cooled, place a tablespoon of frozen guava curd in the center of the cupcake, pipe each cupcake with plant based buttercream around the edge of the guava curd dollop to keep it from running over the sides of the cupcake when it melts.
For Plant Based Vanilla “Buttercream” Frosting:
Place vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, vegetable shortening, and vanilla in a stand mixer or mix with a hand mixer. Whip until creamy. Add in powdered sugar until well incorporated. Add in coconut cream and whip until smooth.
Transfer frosting to a gallon size zip top bag. Refrigerate immediately. Frosting must stay cold to remain set. Cupcakes must be refrigerated.
It stays fresh in the fridge for approximately 3 days.
For Guava Curd:
Combine sugar and cornstarch to a pot and stir. Whisk in pureed guava. Bring all ingredients to a simmer and cook until thickened and starch flavor has dissipated. Stir constantly.
Freeze to cool and use as desired.
Plant Based Vanilla Buttercream
Tips:
If you have the time, for more intense vanilla bean flavor, scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean pod and stir together with the sugar. Store the vanilla sugar and vanilla bean pod in an airtight container for at least 24 hours before adding it to the cake.
Refrigerate buttercream if it becomes too warm while frosting cake. Allow cake to come to room temperature before serving.
Store : in the refrigerator in an airtight container. for up to 3 days.