Almond Custard Cupcakes

Mini Almond Custard Cupcakes

Now cupcakes are latest food craze it seems everyone is baking and eating them, including me!
I purchased the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World by Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.
The cupcake recipe is tweaked from the Golden Vanilla Cupcake Mix but the custard topping is my own creation.

Almond Cupcakes
(Makes 12 large 15 medium or 24 mini with 2 medium cakes)

1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (increase to 1/2 teaspoon if using oil instead of margarine)
1/2 cup margarine or 1/3 cup of oil
3/4 cup of sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons almond extract

Preheat oven to 350f and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Mix the soy milk and vinegar and set aside for a few minutes to curdle
Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and set aside.
If using margarine make sure it's softened and mix in a different bowl with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the almond essence and soy milk. If using oil mix it with the sugar, milk and almond extract. Add the flour mixture and beat until there are no large lumps. A few small lumps are okay though.
Fill cupcake liners and bake for 20 - 22 minutes. Stick a small knife or toothpick to check if they're done.
Put on custard icing when cool.

Almond Custard Topping

300 ml of soy milk
2 heaped tablespoons of cornstarch
2 teaspoons of almond extract
100 grams of margarine
100 grams of icing sugar

Put the milk onto boil but keep a few tablespoons aside and mix with the cornstarch.
Add the cornstarch mix to the milk when it's reached boiling point and stir with a wooden spoon.
Put in a bowl to cool. Put through a strainer if there are any lumps. Cover with cling film.
Beat together the margarine and icing sugar and add the almond essence. Add the cold custard mix a few tablespoons at a time while beating. Sometimes lumps can be beaten out but you might need to sieve the mixture.
Pipe onto cakes using a star nozzle or spread on. You can also decorate them with toasted almonds.

Vanilla Custard Cupcakes

Alternatively you can make Vanilla Custard Cupcakes by using vanilla extract in place of the almond and adding a bit of yellow colouring. For the topping you can also use custard powder in place of the cornstarch. You won't need the colouring then.