Almond Cupcakes w/ Tangerine Frost & Flowers

When we got knee-deep in the nitty gritty of planning how we were going to pull off our recent wedding catering gig, we quickly realized the difference between making some big-ass salads and nourishing a nuptial celebration: a proper wedding cake. Not being known for our sweet teeth, or sweet knives, we had to decide whether to shop out such an intimidating item or tackle it head-on. We wavered.
In the end, the Hot Knives wedding team’s ‘stay-legit’ subcommittee realized what a shitty proposition it was to rely on a San Diego vegan baker to seal the matrimonial deal for us. So we got to researching and everyone involved liked the idea of cute little cakettes instead of a full fledged wedding cake. So we dug up a solid vegan cupcake recipe and added a few Hot Knives twists in flavor and our own shiv of decoration. The cake is vegan, the frosting’s vegan. Both are sugary as hell and cute as a button of peyote. This recipe makes a dozen; we made 100. Wedding guests chewed on the cuties, while the bride and groom shoved an intense multi-tiered cupcake masterpiece. Full debriefing on that menu later this week.

1 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cupped muffin pan with foil cupcake liners.
2. First you are going to actually “curdle” your soymilk, to make “buttermilk.” In a mixing bowl gently mix the soymilk and vinegar, and set aside for three to five minutes. After those mintes are up, vigourously beat the mixture with a whisk until your bowl resembles a bubble bath–frothy and thick. Slowly add the oil in a steady stream while beating, and then add the extract.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt. If you don’t own a sifter, no biggie: simply put two colanders together and pour powder stuffs in increments, making jerky motions to evenly sift. Then add these sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingrediants and gently fold together until no lumps remain.
4. Pour batter into liners, filling 3/4 of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely. When cool frost and decorate.

1 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if clumpy
1/4 cup plain soy milk
1 1/2 tsp tangerine oil
12 nasturtium flowers
1/8 cup candied ginger
1. Place a 1-cup stick of vegetable shortening in a mixing bowl and place over the oven for 5 minutes to let soften. Then add sugar and beat with a whisk. If the shortening is still too cold, use a potato masher to workt he mixture into a paste, then whip out your whip and mix until smooth.
2. Slowly add soymilk, whisking until creamy and even. Add tangerine oil in 1⁄2 tsp increments and continue whisking. Frosting should turn a subtle beige-orange color and taste like fresh tangerine.
3. Pick nasturtium leaves into bite-size, manageable sections. Chop candied ginger into 1-centimeter cubes.
4. Use a pastry bag or a steady handed spatula to frost cool cupcakes and top each with 2 nasturtium leaves and about 5 or 6 ginger cubes.
Beverage: Green Flash Imperial IPA
Soundtrack: The Raveonettes’ “Chain Gang of Love”