Whipping Cream Vanilla Bean Cupcakes and Doughnuts. While I have a couple of recipes for vanilla cupcakes, I felt the need to include it among the rest of the cupcake recipes I have.You know, I rather like this recipe! I'm always partial to recipes that use basic ingredients... and well, recipes that sometimes use various substitutions. In this case, the substitution happens to be heavy cream... taking the role of butter+liquid in an otherwise classic cake recipe.
So the reason I'm posting this recipe is not only because it is a fairly simple recipe to make, or because the cake bakes up fluffy and tender... but because you can make a lovely cake/cupcakes using heavy cream instead of the usual butter. I don't know about you, but sometimes I find myself with a container of cream in the fridge that really needs using up. So this recipe comes in especially handy for that extra cream. And you don't necessarily need to eat the cake then...though you may want to:) ). You can easily freeze it for another day, and just pull it out when you need a quick dessert. A simple dusting of sugar will suffice, though you can make a lovely glaze as well.
Instead of making a regular bundt cake, I chose to make cupcakes and a few doughnuts instead. I really like to use my doughnut pan because it tricks you into thinking you're eating regular doughnuts rather than cake:). Actually, the doughnuts can be quite fun to decorate, and it brings a bit of change from the usual cake. I'm thinking you could even use this cake batter to make a few madeleines. This way the cake batter can be used in more ways than one.
Most cakes use cake flour, but I find substituting cornstarch for some of the flour works beautifully. I get a light and tender crumb and don't need to buy the cake flour. Even using all purpose flour alone should still work in a pinch. Hope you enjoy...
Tip: Adding citrus peel to the batter will make for a different variation...
You will need: makes 12 cupcakes + 6 doughnuts... or 1 bundt cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour( or 2 cups all-purpose flour + 4 TBS cornstarch)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 ex-large eggs, at room temperature
1 TBS vanilla bean paste*
1 cup sugar
* you can make a regular cake with just 1 tsp vanilla, or add any other extract of choice... I added a bit more to bring in extra vanilla flavor.
Directions:
- Line cupcake pan with liners and generously butter doughnut pan wells.... or use a 10-cup bundt/fluted metal tube pan, buttered and floured very well.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.... set rack in middle for cupcakes and doughnuts... or set rack in the lower third of the oven for bundt cake
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cold heavy cream and using the whisk beater whip the cream, until stiff peaks form.
Note: Do not chill the bowl and beaters.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla just until lightly combined.
Tip: If in a hurry, add eggs in warm water to warm them up to room temp.
4. On medium-high speed, gradually beat the egg mixture into the whipped cream. The mixture will thicken... will have the consistency of mayonnaise.
5. Gradually beat in the sugar....should take about 30 seconds or so to incorporate it. Don't overbeat it.
6. Sprinkle 1/2 of the flour mixture over the cream mixture. Using spatula, fold in the flour until most of it disappears. Add the remaining 1/2 flour mixture and continue to fold and mix until all traces of flour have disappeared. Try not to deflate the batter too much.
7. For cupcakes/ doughnuts:
Using an ice scream scoop, fill cupcake liners... and with the rest of the batter, pour batter in ziploc bag, cut off tip and fill doughnut wells....
For bundt cake:
Scrape all the batter into a prepared bundt pan.
8. Run a small metal spatula/ wooden skewer/ dull knife blade through the batter to prevent large air bubbles, avoiding the bottom of the pan. Smooth the surface evenly with spatula.
9. Bake
Bake Cupcakes~ for 15-18 minutes... or until toothpick comes out clean. Check after 12-13 minutes
Bake Doughnuts~ for 10-12 minutes.. or until toothpick comes out clean. Check after 8-9 minutes.
Bake Bundt Cake~ for 25-35 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean.
10. Let the cupcake/doughnuts/cake cool in the pan, on a wire rack, for 5-10 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
11. Frost as desire, or sprinkle with icing sugar... or sugar glaze.
NOTE: I made small amount of icing to glaze doughnuts and am including the recipe below. I chose to freeze my cupcakes... one day I defrosted a few and made a couple of quick frostings... a healthier one, and one not as healthy:). I'm including those recipes as well, but feel free to use your favorite frosting.
Icing Sugar Glaze: can be doubled or as needed.
2/3 cup icing sugar
2 1/4 tsp water
extract of choice, or citrus peel, to taste
1. Mix together and adjust sugar/water as needed to make a thick pourable glaze.
The Biscoff Frosting: amount probably frosts about 3 cupcakes, generously
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 TBS biscoff spread
icing sugar , if needed( I didn't add)
crushed Biscoff cookies to sprinkle on top of frosting... or crumbled vanilla bean cupcake(optional)
1. Whip cream till soft peak, add biscoff spread, and whip again until frosting consistency, being careful not overbeat. Add frosting to piping bag and frost.
2. Sprinkle crushed cookies or crumbled vanilla cake on top of frosting.
The Peanut Butter Yoghurt Frosting: amount probably frosts 4-5 cupcakes
1/2 cup Greek Yoghurt( I used 0%Fage)
3 TBS natural chuncky peanut butter
1-2 TBS honey, or to taste
1/8 tsp cinnamon, or to taste
chopped peanuts to sprinkle on top of frosting.
1. Mix everything together. Place frosting in piping bag and frost.
2. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
