Cupcake Project #7: Rolling Stones Brown Sugar Cupcake with Coconut Custard Filling & Spiced Rum Frosting

I'm sure when two-time Cupcake Wars champs Sticky Fingers Bakery, came up with this recipe they were channeling Mick Jagger- cause these cupcakes are rock stars! Now it's your turn! Turn on your favorite 'Stones tune (mine will be 'Jumpin Jack Flash') and crank the oven up to 350 degrees! Happy Eating Cupcake Lovers!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 9 ounces brown sugar
• 4 ounces non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, such as Earth Balance
• 1 1/2 tablespoons egg replacer, such as Ener-G
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vinegar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard cupcake pan with 12 standard cupcake liners. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl. Set the bowl aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream the brown sugar and margarine with the whisk attachment, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

In a small bowl or cup, combine 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water and the egg replacer and stir to dissolve the egg replacer. Add the egg replacer to the sugar and mix until combined. In a small bowl, combine the soymilk and vinegar and set aside.
Turn the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients and the soymilk, alternating between the two, ending with the soymilk.
Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter and bake or until a toothpick inserted into each cupcake comes out clean, about 19 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.

 

Coconut Custard Filling:

• 2 cups full-fat canned coconut milk
• 4 ounces sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepot, stir together 1 3/4 cups of the coconut milk and the sugar. Heat on medium-high until the mixture begins to bubble around the edges.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup coconut milk and the cornstarch into a slurry. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the hot sugar mixture while whisking. Cook for 2 more minutes while stirring. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Put the cooled Coconut Custard into a piping bag and cut 1/4-inch off the tip. Yield: 2 cups.

Spiced Rum Frosting:

• 8 ounces non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, such as Earth Balance
• 8 ounces non hydrogenated vegetable shortening, such as Earth Balance
• 1 pound 8 ounces 10x powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 cup dark rum

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the margarine and shortening until completely combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure that all ingredients are mixed thoroughly. On low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar a little at a time. Add the cinnamon, allspice and cloves, and mix. Scrape the bottom of the bowl. Add the rum and mix to combine. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and mix on medium-high speed until all the ingredients are combined and the frosting is fluffy, about 2 minutes. Put the frosting into a pastry bag and cut 1/2-inch off the tip. Yield: 2 quarts.

Cracked Brown Sugar Brittle:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, such as Earth Balance

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, boil the sugar, corn syrup, 1/4 cup water and salt, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Place a candy thermometer into the pan and cook on medium heat until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda and margarine. Pour the mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet and quickly spread the hot mixture thinly on the sheet. Let the candy cool completely and break it into small pieces with your fingers.

To assemble:
With a plastic drinking straw or a small paring knife, make holes in the center of each cupcake. Squeeze the Coconut Custard Filling in the center of each cupcake until filled but not overflowing, about 1 tablespoon per cupcake. Pipe a dollop of Spiced Rum Frosting onto each cupcake and garnish with a few pieces of the Cracked Brown Sugar Brittle.

Recipe and photo courtesy of The Food Network. Click here