Friday, March 05, 2010

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

vanillabeancupcakes

When Titus was just past 6 months, he was about to have his immunization shot for the swine flu. However, it was advised that all kids would try eggs before the shot, since allergics might otherwise have a reaction. As Titus wasn't eating any solids at that point, and certainly not anything like scrambled eggs, I called up our pediatric nurse for advise.

And she said to give him cake.

This is QUITE unorthodoxic advice. But she said that it was really important to try eggs, and well, most kids would at least nibble on cake. And that'd be enough to know.

I figured that if he should eat cake, it should at least be pretty darned good. So I turned to Rose Levy Berenbaum's latest book, Heavenly Cakes, and made a version of her mini vanilla poundcakes. This isn't that exact recipe - she also adds vanilla extract, and is more exact in how long the cake is mixed, and douses them with vanilla syrup - but oh boy, it's a great recipe.

I made cupcakes, or muffins I suppose (that is definitely up for debate - what is what?) and left them unadorned. You could certainly frost them. I just ate them.

And so did Titus. And no, he does not seem to be allergic.

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
(printable recipe)
makes about 12

2 vanilla beans
150 g sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3 tbsp milk
150 g flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
185 g unsalted butter, at room temperature

Heat the oven to 175°C. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape out all the little seeds. Mix them with the sugar. If you find it hard to mix them, use a food processor, otherwise just try to rub them together.

In a bowl, whisk eggs and milk. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a regular bowl, and use your handheld mixer), add flour, the now vanilla-y sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix for 30 seconds. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides if necessary. Add the rest of the egg mixture and mix again.

Fill cupcake liners (in a muffin tin, ideally) to about 3/4. Bake for 18-22 minutes - they should like nicely golden with slightly cracked tops. Check with a cake tester to make sure they're done.

Recipe in Swedish:
Vaniljmuffins

8 comments:

The Cooking Ninja said...

oooh...gorgeous pic and delicious cupcakes. :) Lucky Titus! :) My MIL fed poppet some chocolate cakes when she was a baby and she loves it. LOL!

We got a letter from the ministry of healthy to get poppet a H1N1 flu shot but it was in Dec when we got it. So we decided to just skip it as it was end of the peak. We think she might have already gotten it but showed no sign of it as we were in Singapore during summer when it was big in Asia then.

Weathered & Worn said...

This sounds and looks like such a yummy recipe. I'm sure your son liked trying cake, glad he wasn't alergic! Thanks for sharing.

Kryddburken said...

Härligt!!! Och sjävlklart så gillar väl Titus dessa muffins! :) Men 6 månader är väl ändå lite tidigt att "måsta" prova ägg, trots svinsprutan? Vi har lilla Max som är allergisk mot ägg, kokta ägg som råa ägg, men INTE ägg i bakverk dock... Nu blev jag fundersam! Men jag tror absolut på att intriducera i denna form, det borde ju vara den mildaste! Treevlig helg på er!

Kryddburken said...

Jag stavar som en kratta när jag har bråttom...

Anne said...

Det var våldsamt olika bud där, om hur viktigt det var att utesluta äggallergi innan sprutan. En del bvc struntade helt i det, en del vägrade ge om man inte tidigare hade testat ägg. Min sköterska tyckte mest att ja, försök helst innan. Vilket eg. är ganska fånigt, för det är ju sällan första gången de får en allvarlig reaktion...

Men intressant att han tål tillagade ägg?? Jag trodde äggallergi var en sån där verkligen antingen eller. Men också att det ofta växer bort.

Cherine said...

Beautiful cupcakes. Looks delicious

FoodTherapy4Me said...

Really wonderufl job with that photo!! Sounds scrumptous!

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog and i am delighted to read it :) I love the story behind these Vanilla cupcakes, i love anything with vanilla in them so i am going to give them a try! Also found your post for Kanelbullar and i want to try those too!