Raspberry-filled Rose Cupcakes with Pink Buttercream Frosting

 

Guess who got her new piping tips from amazon today?!

That's right kiddos, and new piping tips can only mean one thing: New Cupcake Recipe!

Without further adieu, I give you the ultimate spring potluck recipe: Raspberry-filled, rose flavored cupcakes with buttercream frosting colored with fresh squeezed beet juice. Oh the lengths I go through for my baked goods. Not only did I have to wait on my piping tips to come, but then I had to buy rosewater (a totally random ingredient) and a narrow nosed squeeze-type applicator bottle (also can be used for hair dye) for this recipe. And then I forgot I didn't have enough cupcake liners so I had to run across the street and buy those too. Jeez cupcakes!! But they were TOTALLY WORTH IT - derrricious.

For ze Cupcakes

• 3/4 cup soymilk
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup sweetened apple sauce
• 3 tsp rosewater

Preheat the over to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin!

In a bowl, whisk your soymilk and ACV together and set aside for about 10 minutes to curdle.

In your mixer, softly mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.

Keeping the mixer on low, slowly mix in the soy milk/ACV combo, followed by the canola oil, apple sauce and rosewater. Continue to mix until all the lumps have disappeared.

Pour batter into cupcake liners, filling each one NO MORE THAN 3/4 FULL.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. So Rosy, so delicious.

Let them cool for about 10 minutes and then fill a narrowly tipped squeeze bottle (as seen photo right) with berry flavored preserves (if you use raspberry, you may have to cut the top down a little bit to keep the seeds from getting stuck). Insert the tip of the squeeze bottle as far down into the cupcake as it will comfortable go and inject filling into the center. You will be able to tell when the cavity you create with the nose of the squeeze bottle is full because it will start to run out over the top. Stop when that starts to happen :)

Let the cupcakes cool the rest of the way and prepare to frost!

For Ze Frosting

• 1/2 cup vegan shortening (Earth Balance) - softened
• 1/4 cup vegan margarine (Earth Balance) - softened
• 1/4 cup vegan cream cheese (Tofutti) - softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2+ Tbs fresh squeezed beet juice (you can get this at most markets with a juice squeezer)

Cream the shortening, margarine and cream cheese together in a mixer. In about 1/2 cup batches, slowly add the powdered sugar, making sure to whip thoroughly between each batch.

After the powdered sugar is fully mixed in, add in the beet juice and continue to whip until fully combined. This was really touch and go for me; I had no idea how much beet juice it would take or even if it would work at all but as I kept adding and mixing, it turned the frosting pink beautifully and you couldn't taste the beet juice flavor at all :)

When the frosting is the consistency/color that you want, use a spatula to put the frosting into a piping bag and then pipe onto cupcakes!! Again, I'm still learning piping techniques but the tips made a dramatic difference in the present-ability of these cupcakes. Woo woo!

I made these cupcakes for an architecture pot luck but they would stand up to any springy, lovey or baby-themed party as well. I'm thinking baby shower? They are kind of girly but I don't care - everyone loves cupcakes even if they are pink and raspberry rose flavored.

Has anyone else worked with rose water before? This was my first time and the stuff sure is strong. I would love some other recipe ideas because I have a whole bottle now and need to use it!

Live Long and Prosper. And rejoice over piping tips!