Back when I heard that the February theme for Ironcupcake was to be coffee, I thought about my friend Alex. Alex was a veterinarian from Hungry - quite skilled and very exact in his thinking and ingenuity. Alex loved a good cup of Turkish Coffee and pleasant conversation any day...and he loved sweets with his coffee. Alex passed away last December...this cupcake is for him.
Turkish Coffee Cupcake
Cupcake:
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Egg Replacer for 1 egg
1 cup vegetable margarine, softened
1/2 cup soy creamer
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup hot water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the remaining ingredients, adding the hot water last. Beat until smooth. Divide the batter evenly into lined muffin tins. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Cool to room temperature.
Turkish Coffee Cream:
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup Turkish Coffee (see note below)
4 ounces cream cheese (I use vegan Tofutti)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In the top of a double boiler, combine the white chocolate and coffee. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the chocolate is melted. Let cool to room temperature.
In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, and vanilla. Gradually add the cooled coffee chocolate and beat until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Transfer the Turkish Coffee filling to a pastry bag fitted with a small tip or baggie and snip off the end. Cut out a small plug from the top of each cupcake, reserving the plug, and scoop out a hole in the center of each cupcake to hold the filling. Place the tip in the cupcake and pipe in the filling to fill the hole. Replace the plug and place the cupcake upright. Ice with the Mocha Butter Cream and decorate the tops with a little more Turkish Coffee filling and grated white chocolate.
Mocha Butter Cream:
2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 teaspoon strong coffee
¼ cup Smart Balance
½ Cup Crisco
Beat until fluffy.
Makes 12.
Note: Turkish Coffee
1 cup cold water
1 tablespoon of extra finely ground coffee (must be powder-like)
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, or 1 cardamom pod
2 tablespoon sugar
Bring water and sugar to a boil in pot- a small sauce pan is fine
Remove from heat and add coffee and cardamom.
Return saucepan to heat and allow tocome to a boil. Remove from heat when coffee foams.
Again, return to heat, allowing to foam and remove from heat.
Pour into cup, and allow to sit for a few minutes for the grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup. Do not stir.