So, I was feeling savory cupcake way before the ICE May ingredient was announced....these so intrigue me...and I love a good challenge... the wheels started turning.
It is really something- whenever I start thinking about the possibilities, I realize that they are endless - I lay in bed at night, thinking, in my dreams, new cuppies, at the gym, new flavours, in the car, ideas hit me - everywhere, everywhere.....savory, savory, savory.
What does savory mean, exactly, and how do we define it for this battle? This is indeed open to interpretation!
Savory is defined as:
1. Appetizing to the taste or smell,
2. Piquant, pungent, or salty to the taste; not only sweet.
In other words, savory, as I interpret this, is not solely sweet as a dessert, but a combination of flavours- savory must be appetizing, and tasty. Yes, this is how I interpreted savory for this Iron Cupcake Earth Challenge.
My first cupcake was a lime cupcake with a tomato peachy salsa buttercream and a tortilla chip garnish,"Momma Mambo Lime Salsa Cupcakes"...the center was filled with veggie cream cheese and cilantro- a cool contrast to the salt and limeness of the cake. This was so good - each flavour complimented the next....
Cake:
½ cup Soy Cream
½ cup Tofutti brand Sour Cream
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable margarine
¾ cup raw sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla
Juice from 4 limes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line tins
with cupcake liners. Cream margarine and sugar two minutes – beat in vanilla. Add lime juice and 3 tbsp parsley juice (for color).
Mix all dry ingredients together and then alternate soy cream-dry-soy cream. Add the sour cream at the last and incorporate then fill liners 2/3 full and bake 20 minutes. Cool completely.
Mix 6 oz Toffutti Cream Cheeze and 4 tbsp minced cilantro.
Cut out a wedge in the center of each cupcake and fill with the cream cheeze. Replace the cake wedge.
Salsa Butter Cream:
1 cup Peach Salsa (prepared or homemade)
3/4 vegetable margarine
1 cup + powdered sugar
Beat together and ice cuppies- sprinkle with lime zest and garnish with a tortilla chip.
Makes 20-24.
Following the "chip" trend I next made a dark chocolate barbeque cupcake...using pretzel bits and toying with an addition of garlic- to the cream cheeze frosting - it was outstanding!
Dark Chocolate Barbecue Cupcakes with Sweet Garlic Cream Cheeze Frosting--
Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup vegetable margarine
3 ¼ cups dark chocolate chips, divided
1 cup plain soy yogurt
2 tbsp Egg Replacer mixed with 3 tbsp warm water
1 ¼ cups soymilk
1/3 cup soymilk powder
1 cup Hanover Barbecue Pretzel Pieces
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place liners in muffin pans- this recipe will make 24 regular cuppies. Bring a small saucepan with a small amount of water to a boil.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda baking powder, and sugar. Set aside.
In a small stainless steel mixing bowl, combine the soy margarine, oil, 1 cup of the chocolate chips, and the soy yogurt and set over the boiling water, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula until mixture is melted and well combined.
Add the melted chocolate mixture, Egg Replacer mixture and ¼ cup of the soymilk to the dry ingredients, and mix with a hand mixer until just combined. Pour the batter into the cupcake liners1/4 full, layer in pretzel pieces then pour in more batter to cover.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until edges are pulled away from the sides a bit. Cool completely.
Sweet Garlic Cream Cheeze Frosting:
4 ounces Tofutti cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder or garlic juice
Cream together and ice cuppies- sprinkle with colored sugar.
20-24 cuppies
I have several friends that are pregnant, so I thought, why not an Ice Cream & Pickles Cupcake...
Cake:
¼ cup vegetable margarine
2 cups sifted cake flour
½ tsp white pepper
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup Vanilla Soy Crème, melted (ice cream)
¼ cup Light Karo Syrup
Replacer for 2 eggs
Whisk together dry ingredients- beat wet together and then sift dry into wet.
Fill cupcake pans ½ full and bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Place 1 tsp sweet pickle relish in each cupcake and then finish baking- about 10 minutes more. Cool.
Vanilla Bean Butter Cream:
¼ cup vegetable shortening
¼ cup vegetable margarine
Dash of salt
1 vanilla bean, scraped
3 tbsp sweet gherkin “juice”
5 cups powdered sugar
Beat ingredients together, refrigerate until cold and then pipe on top of cuppies.
Garnish with a gherkin pickle.
20 cuppies.
And then ....corn bread is always savory...
1 ½ cup cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup agave syrup
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
Replacer for 2 eggs
2 cups soy milk
1 cup fresh corn
Combine and pour into cupcake liners- fill ¾ full.
Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.
Soyrella Pimento Spread:
2 cups soyrella shredded cheese (Or your favorite)
½ cup Tofutti Cream Cheeze (cream cheese)
½ cup jarred pimentos
2 tsp oregano + fresh for garnish
Mix together and spread over cuppies. Garnish with oregano leaf.
Make 20 cupcakes
.
Cinco de Mayo was here....why not celebrate with two? The first, a tamale, I steamed...while the second, Champurrado, a Mexican drink with masa, cinnamon, and chocolate, I added Liquid Smoke....
Cake:
1 cups white hominy, pureed
1 cup cake flour
Egg Replacer for 1 egg
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup black beans
4 tbsp vegan sour cream
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix all ingredients but black beans and sour cream.
Add the sour cream to the batter and then fold in the black beans.
Fill cupcake fillers ½ full and place the muffin tin in a water bath.
“Steam” cuppies 20 minutes or so until they are set.
Cool.
Guacamole:
1 ripe avocado
1 tsp onion
2 tsp tomato
1 jalapeno pepper
1 celery rib
Salt and Pepper
Process until smooth.
“Frost” tamales and garnish with grape tomato and black olive.
Makes 24 cuppies.
½ cup Mexican cocoa powder
1 cups all purpose flour
1 cup masa or hominy flour
Egg Replacer for 3 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable margarine
¾ cup agave syrup
3 tsp cinnamon
3 teaspoons vanilla
½ tsp Liquid Smoke
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line tins
with cupcake liners. Cream margarine and
agave two minutes – beat in vanilla, cinnamon, and Liquid Smoke.
Mix all dry ingredients together and then add the resting of ingredients. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 10 minutes. Add a tablespoon of toffee filling and bake another 10 minutes. Cool completely.
Toffee Filling:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable margarine
1/2 cup Mexican chocolate, broken up
1 tsp white pepper
Grease bottom and sides of square pan, 9 x 9 x 2 inches, with margarine.Heat brown sugar and margarine to boiling in 1-1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 7 minutes, stirring constantly. Immediately spread in pan and sprinkle with the chocolate pieces and pepper.Cover pan with cookie sheet. Let stand about 1 minute or until chocolate soften. Spread softened chocolate over candy. Refrigerate uncovered about 2 hours or until firm. Break up and use.
Cream Cheeze Frosting:
4 ounces Tofutti cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
½ tbsp Liquid Smoke
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Cinnamon
Beat together Tofutti cream cheese and shortening until smooth. Add smoke and confectioners' sugar and beat until creamy. Pipe or dollop onto cuppies and sprinkle with cinnamon.
24 cuppies.
I wanted to tantalize the taste buds....what better way to get sweet, salty, and spicy than with Thai spices....I sought out the freshest herbs and veggies from my garden and fried my own home cut potato chips...
Cake:
1 cup Agave Syrup
Egg Replacer for 4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup soy milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tsp grated ginger root
Dash of chili powder
¼ tsp white pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup flaked coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients expect coconut and pour into liners ½ full.
Sprinkle coconut over the batter and add another tablespoon of batter, covering the coconut. Bake 20-25 minutes until done and cool.
Gingered Agave Tofutti Frosting:
10 oz Tofutti Cream Cheeze
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
½ cup agave syrup
1 tsp grated ginger root
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate.
Thai Chips:
2 Russet Potatoes, cut in rounds- fried in safflower oil
and set on paper towels to drain.
Toss with ginger powder, white pepper, sea salt, chili powder, agave syrup, garlic powder, onion powder, lie zest, and cilantro.
Dip in melted white chocolate.
Ice cuppies with frosting, garnish with a chip and sprinkle with sea salt.
24 yummy cuppies.
When I was a kid my mother hated cooking so I eagerly took the job- one of my first dishes was vegetarain chili-making this into a cupcake was old school...but which was it, chocolate in my chili or chili in my cupcake?
.
Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cups raw sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda
Egg Replacer for 3 eggs
½ cups vegetable oil
Chili:
4 tbsp cup vegetable oil
¼ cup veggie crumbles
½ onion, chopped
1 chopped jalapeño pepper
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
3 tbsp chopped parsley
3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 cups tomato sauce
1 cups water
½ cups chili beans
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine chili ingredients and sauté- simmer 30 minutes.
Add 1cup chili to cake batter.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees- fill lined cupcake tins ¾ full and bake 40 minutes or until done.
Sprinkle with Soy Mozzarella, a garlic toast and serve.
24 cuppies.
One night we were having Chinese and I thought, wouldn't a springroll be interesting in a cupcake- 5 Spice is such a versatile seasoning...
Cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
¼ cups raw sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Egg Replacer for 4 eggs
½ cup vegetable margarine
½ cup soy milk
2 tsp Chinese 5 Spice
2 cup spinach-
stir fried with 1 clove garlic and a little sesame oil
5 Egg rolls – fried and cut into 4 pieces each
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place an egg roll piece in each liner.
Mix all ingredients well and fill cupcake liners ½ full, covering the egg roll.
Bake 20 minutes and allow to cool.
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and plum sauce on the side.
Plum Sauce:
4 cups plums, pitted and halved
½ cup onions, chopped
½ cup water
1 teaspoon ginger root, Minced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup raw sugar
¼ cup rce vinegar
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon clove
In a saucepan, mix all ingredients over low heat- allow to boil and then simmer until cooked – about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool. Process and strain. Yields 1 cup. Keeps 1 week.
Makes 20 cuppies.
I adore artichokes- every year we visit Castorville and bring home a case or two or three...they are to die for! What better way to celebrate than with an artichoke cuppie!
2¼ cup sifted cake flour
¼ cup Egg Replacer
¼ cup agar flakes
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
¼ cups raw sugar
2 cups pureed artichoke hearts
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Sift flour.
Beat egg replacer and agar with salt and cream of tartar until foamy- this may take 10 minutes or so. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until peaks form. Fold the flour into the batter, add the artichokes. Pour batter into muffin liners 1/3 full. Bake 20 minutes or so- watch your oven and gently aerate the cuppies about half way through.
Remove from oven, cool.
Ice with vegan mayo or your favorite ranch and garnish with an artichoke leaf and lime.
Make a chipotle cream sauce as garnish:
1/4 cp EVOO
1/4 cp apple cider vinegar
6 tbsp orange juice
1 chipotle pepper in adobe sauce
1/4 tsp mustard
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp raw sugar
1 tsp salt
Puree in blender.
Makes 20 cuppies.
The last cupcake for this battle was in honor of Mother's Day...a trio of three- zucchini, onion and carrot...grilled as Shish Kabob with a Cocoa Pomegranate Balsamic Glaze. These were incredible!
These are three cakes, poured into mini cuppie liners and baked 12 minutes each at 350 degrees. Cool, then skewer alternately with veggies over a hot grill – baste with the reduction just before serving.
Zucchini-
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup raw sugar
Egg Replacer for 2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp cardamom
1 cups grated zucchini
Carrot-
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup raw sugar
Egg Replacer for 2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cups grated carrot
Onion-
½ cup vegetable oil
4 tbsp raw sugar
Egg Replacer for 2 eggs
¼ tsp vanilla
1 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp coriander
1 tbsp minced parsley
1 cups grated onion
Cocoa Pomegranate Balsamic Reduction
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup carob chips
1 cup pomegranate juice
Melt the chips in the pomegranate juice over a low flame- add vinegar and continue to cook until reduced and thicked.
Steamed A la dente: baby carrots, zucchinis, and quartered onions for skewer.
Makes 12 kabobs.
And what was all this cupcake madness?
Iron Cupcake Earth.
The May ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists:
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So, everyone, don't forget to vote....Have a Safe and Happy Memorial Day Weekend!