The person that invented sprinkles is a very smart person. Whoever they are, I wonder if they new exactly what they were doing, that even the mention of sprinkles can, and does, drive a person (mostly littles) mad with the need for sugar. Just the mere glimpse of the rainbow colored topping was enough to bribe a few little littles into somewhat decent behaviors, even for just a little while (especially when I let them know about the sprinkles on the inside, well they just snapped into line). No rainbow sprinkle cupcake if you don't clean up and eat all you peas!. That goes for everyone, not just the littles. Haha.
Have you notice that most of the snow melted and it's finally spring? Whoop whoop. Now that the house is feeling fresh because the windows and doors are thrown open, I feel the need to blast music and bake. I went with cupcakes because I haven't in a while, and lemon because its fresh, and sprinkles because we need to celebrate spring and really, sprinkles in and on everything will never be a bad idea.
I have more or less been using kind of the same recipe for a vegan vanilla cake for a while. And while it was a good cake, it was never a great cake. When I made these I decided to tweak it a bit and they came out awesome. Finally a great cake. The mr, the littles, everyone who has eaten one has reached for another. And eaten the crumbs off the table and licked the parchment wrappers clean. The littles even asked if they could have the recipe so when they grow up they can make them by themselves. (So cute.) A cake winner here for sure.
So if you are feeling sprinkly and lemony and want a sweet, then go, go to your kitchen. Throw open the windows, blast some tunes, and bake away.
The stuff. Vegan butter, oil, sugar, and a few lemons. Flour, baking soda and powder, salt, plant milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract*, and of course sprinkles.
*I used imitation vanilla extract because I have read in more then a few placed that the typical funfetti cake uses it. So I did and there were zero complaints.
Start by mixing the dry together along with the zest of the lemon. After zesting, add the juice of one of the lemons and the apple cider vinegar the milk and give it a mix.
Beat together the sugar, butter, and oil until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla.
Then to mix it all together. Interchange adding dry to the butter mixture and beating, then add some milk mixture. Repeat until lit's all mixed and beat just until everything is all incorporated. Don't over beat the mixture.
And for the happiness. Fold in the sprinkles.
Cupcake tin lined and greases. Fill each equally until you have no batter left.
Into a hot oven they go to bake and be great.
Baked and looking all sprinkly. Get them out of the tin and onto a wire rack to cool.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make thefrosting. Vegan butter, powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice with a splash of vanilla. Or if you want to make it all vanilla, omit lemon zest and juice with more vanilla extract and a little splash or plant milk.
All beaten together until nice and thick and creamy.
Then it's time. Get them frosted.
And don't forget to add more sprinkles.
Now you are done and now you eat.
The rainbow coffee cup was a completely coincidence.
-C
Lemon Rainbow Sprinkle Cupcakes
makes 12 cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
- 3/4 cup plant milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used imitation vanilla)
- zest of 2 lemons
- juice of 1 lemon
- teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup spinkles
For the frosting
- 1/3 cup vegan butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 lemon (zest and juice )
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Preheat 350
First zest the lemons because it is alway easier to zest a whole lemon then a half of one. Measure out the milk and add In the juice of one lemon and the apple cider vinegar. In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and the zest of the two lemons . In another bowl beat together the sugar, vegan butter, oil, and the vanilla. Interchange adding the dry mixture into the butter sugar mixture and bating with the wet mixture. Once all is together, beat only until all the ingredients are incorporated, then stop so you don't over beat.
Grease and line a cupcake pan and fill each mold evenly until batter is gone.. Bake for about 20- 22 minutes or until a slight golden brown and a tester comes out clean. Once baked, remove from pan and place on a rack to cool completely.
While cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. Beat together the butter, sugar, and the juice and zest of a lemon until light and fluffy. IF the frosting seems to thin add in a splash of milk or too the, a few tablespoons more of powdered sugar. !f you prefer vanilla frosting, omit the lemon and add another 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and a splash of plant milk.
Once cupcakes are cooled, frost them and cover with sprinkles.
Eat at your leisure. Cupcakes will last in a airtight container for 3-4 days but really, they probably will be gone before you get a chance to hide them.