PBR Cupcakes (Vegan)

Okay, so... we've been eating a lot of great food in the past month.  Lots of cooking and trying new things and enjoying them all.  Apparently I've been too busy eating it all to blog about it.  <cringe>  Oops.  I've got some good stuff coming your way - no worries!

The Superbowl last weekend was great fun, and it's always a great excuse to whip up good party food.  Our friends always throw a great party and this year was extra awesome because of the Seahawks (Go Hawks!)  For their party I always bake a boozy cupcake.  2 years ago it was an Irish Car Bomb cupcake and last year it was a Hefeweizen cupcake.  This year I gave a nod to the hipsters in Seattle with a vegan PBR Cupcake.

It was great!  I must say, after 3 years of doing this sort of thing, beer is great in cupcakes.  I don't like PBR generally, but it was very tasty in this application.  It kept the cupcake very moist and had a delicate crumb.  Also, I kept getting asked if there was banana in it (no), so apparently PBR has banana undertones?  Who knew?

For the frosting I used my standby vegan vanilla frosting and it worked perfectly with it.  And for the decoration, what else but blue and green sprinkles for the Seahawks?

Like the Hefeweizen cupcake, this one would also be great in the summer.  So keep it in your back pocket for anytime you need a fun cupcake!

PBR Cupcakes (Vegan)
(from the Cupcake Project)
Makes 10 cupcakes

1 cup PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together PBR, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and canola oil until slightly frothy.

Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.  Line cupcake pan with liners, and fill about 3/4 full.  Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.  Remove from oven and let cool in pan for a few minutes.  Remove cupcakes from pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Fluffy Vanilla Frosting (Vegan)
(from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)
One batch makes enough for ~ 2 dozen cupcakes

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margarine (I used Earth Balance)
3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted if clumpy
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 plain soy milk

Beat shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy.  Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes.  Add the vanilla and soy milk, beat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until fluffy.  It seems like a long time, but it really makes a difference.  You'll see how fluffy it gets!

Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and top with favorite sprinkles, if desired.

Enjoy!

1 cup PBR

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Read more at http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2012/10/hipster-vegan-cupcakes-pbr.html#6MHWvjAX8TFZZDPZ.99

• 1 cup PBR
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• vegan frosting (get the recipe in my vegan frosting post)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together PBR, apple cider vinegar, sugar and oil until slightly frothy.
3. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder until just combined.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.
5. When cool, frost with vegan buttercream.

Read more at http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2012/10/hipster-vegan-cupcakes-pbr.html#6MHWvjAX8TFZZDPZ.99

• 1 cup PBR
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• vegan frosting (get the recipe in my vegan frosting post)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together PBR, apple cider vinegar, sugar and oil until slightly frothy.
3. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder until just combined.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.
5. When cool, frost with vegan buttercream.

Read more at http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2012/10/hipster-vegan-cupcakes-pbr.html#6MHWvjAX8TFZZDPZ.99

• 1 cup PBR
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• vegan frosting (get the recipe in my vegan frosting post)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together PBR, apple cider vinegar, sugar and oil until slightly frothy.
3. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder until just combined.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.
5. When cool, frost with vegan buttercream.

Read more at http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2012/10/hipster-vegan-cupcakes-pbr.html#6MHWvjAX8TFZZDPZ.99

Hefeweizen Cupcakes

It's been my tradition (does two years constitute a tradition?) to bake up alcohol-laced cupcakes for our friend's Super Bowl party.  Last year I made Irish Car Bomb cupcakes, which were a huge hit.  Since I'd already used a dark beer for a cupcake, I wanted to give a lighter beer a shot.

I've seen this Hefeweizen cupcake recipe on the The Cupcake Project blog for awhile, and thought this would be the perfect recipe to try.

As I'm not much of a beer person (wine is more of my thing), I left the beer choice up to the husband, and he chose Widmer Brothers, a regional beer.  Typically, a wheat beer is paired with lemon, so I ran with that.

The cake itself is different than any I've made before, but I really like the texture.  It's very light, and sponge-like, and not crumbly like some cake.  And the taste was spot on!  Again, light, with a slight lemon flavor and the beer lent a very subtle yeasty flavor.

This cake is light enough that it would also be perfect for any summer barbeques, so keep the recipe handy for July!

 The blogger on The Cupcake Project has made clear that she doesn't like buttercreams, so she paired it with a glaze.  I, however, love buttercream, so I tweaked a recipe I found on Epicurious.

For flavoring, I used a bit of fresh lemon juice and touch of vanilla.  The frosting was smooth, creamy, with a subtle flavor and it wasn't too sweet.  I'd been looking for a go-to buttercream, and this one is it!  It's versatile, easy, and tasty.

You're wondering, of course, if the cupcakes were well-received at the party.  I can happily report that we came home with an empty cupcake carrier, so I'd say they were a rousing success!


Hefeweizen Cupcakes
(from The Cupcake Project/Beantown Baker)
Makes 18 cupcakes

4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
zest of one large lemon
6 Tbsp milk
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Hefeweizen or other wheat beer

In a large mixing bowl, whip egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually mix in the sugar.  Mix in baking powder, baking soda, vegetable oil, zest, and milk.  Mix in half of the flour, combine.  Then pour in beer and combine.  Add in remaining flour.

Prepare cupcake pans with liners and fill 3/4 full.  (They don't raise very much)  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

Remove from pan and let cool on cooling racks.  Frost only when they're room temperature.

Lemon Buttercream
(from Epicurious)
Makes ~  2.5 cups

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, like Crisco
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp meringue powder
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (more if you desire, to desired flavor and texture - for other flavors, use water, milk, liqueur, etc)
Additional decoration - I used lemon zest

Cream shortening and butter.  Add vanilla extract (or other flavoring if you desire) and salt.  Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time.  Add meringue powder.  (The mixture will appear dry.)

Add liquid of choice and beat until light and fluffy (approximately 5 to 8 minutes).  Keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.
Storage: Store the icing in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Enjoy!