tastes like yum

The cookbook that convinced me that last .1% nearly two years ago that I could definitely be vegan was Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  I’ve loved baking since the time when I was an official ingredient-dumper-inner; there was no way I could give it up.  Discovering those delicious cuppies sold me.

Fast forward to a shelf with all of ICM’s cookbooks on it, among many others, my kitchen pantry bulging with ingredients, and an unlabeled jar of jam made by one of my coworkers.  What to do, what to do?

Why make cupcakes of course!  I scampered off, dusted the flour off my copy of Veganomicon and started making Jelly Donut Cupcakes.

Sadly, I hadn’t labeled the jam when she handed it to me in exchange for some plants (summer squash and zucchini I had sprouted.)  I tried a taste by itself — sweet but with a definite tart tang I couldn’t place.  Reminiscent of berries but sharper almost, a sweet hinting toward sour that tasted like forgotten memory.  I wasn’t sure of the exact make but I knew whatever it was, it would be good contrast to the crumbly yellow cake.  Maybe I had been a bit too generous with the homemade mystery jam, but they never closed, baking themselves into red-eyed cupcakes.  My solution was to fill the void with a stiff vanilla frosting and finish with powdered sugar as per the actual recipe.

SUCCESS!  Not one was left.  I hadn’t even begun to dust the powdered sugar on them at work when I heard the click-clack of a coworker scurrying around the corner, clearly having read my email.  Have I told you lately how much I love my coworkers?

Having stashed two for photographing and sharing at home, I finally brought out my wee cupcake stand and took a few pictures of these while the rain tended to my baby peppers outside.

The unassuming powdered-sugar topped cupcake

 

The love within (which turned out to be… plum!  Yes, I’m working on my palatte.  Melinda, thank you again for the jam!)

cupcake, vegandish cupcake stand, balcony garden through the rain