Satori Cupcakes

Satori is now more attainable with this healthier twist on the classic Carrot Cake, transposed into a delightful cupcake. The cupcake starts with a base of whole wheat pastry flour and fresh carrots. Crystallized ginger is added for a zesty, exotic flavor, balanced with coconut and maple syrup. The cupcakes are filled with a maple pastry cream, and topped with a heavenly cream cheese italian meringue butter cream. This almost vegan cupcake is a crucial first step to experiencing cupcake nirvana.

Note: The cupcake can be made dairy free by substituting soy milk for milk. The frosting and pastry cream both contain milk products that are less trivial to substitute. Google likely knows how to do this!

INGREDIENTS FOR WHOLE WHEAT GINGER CARROT CAKE

2 1/3 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup milk (substitute soy milk to make this vegan!)
1/2 cup safflower oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped and well diced crystallized ginger
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (purchase at natual food store)
2 cups grated and chopped organic carrots

INGREDIENTS FOR MAPLE PASTRY CREAM

175 ml heavy cream
60 ml maple syrup, plus 1 tsp
3 large egg yolks
50 g caster sugar
15 g plain flour

INGREDIENTS FOR CREAM CHEESE ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTER CREAM

Meringue

5 egg whites
pinch salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar (if not using a copper bowl)
2 ounces (1/4 cup) castor sugar

Syrup

8 ounces (1 cup) castor sugar
1/4 cup water

Other

2 8oz boxes of cream cheese, softened
Butter, 1 lb., unsalted, and soft
2 tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Pastry Cream
1. Warm the cream in a saucepan.
  1. Bring mix to the boil (the idea here is to scald it), remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until creamy, and then beat in the flour.
3. Add the warm, creamy mix to the yolks and sugar mix, and whisk until smooth.
  1. Add maple syrup, reserving 1 tbsp plus the extra tsp.
4. Pour the mix back into the saucepan and over a low heat whisk or stir until the custard thickens.
  1. It should take about 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in remaining maple syrup when done cooking.
5. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to help it cool.
  1. To stop the custard from forming a skin, tear off wide strips of wax paper, wet them, and place them over the top of the custard.
  2. I’d recommend making this several hours before you want to eat the cupcakes to give it plenty of time to set and cool.
  3. This should be stored in the fridge if not consumed in several hours
Cream Cheese Italian Meringue Butter cream
1. Follow directions for Jameson Italian Meringue Butter cream, substituting 2 tsp Vanilla extract for Jameson
2. After frosting is finished, whip the cream cheese in a separate bowl on high speed until light and fluffy
3. Slowly add the whipped cream cheese to the frosting about 2tbsp at at time
  1. Continue to add cream cheese while the frosting is still smooth and silky. It is possible to add too much and ruin the frosting.
  2. I discarded about 1/4 box of cream cheese.
4. Keep frosting refrigerated!
Whole Wheat Carrot Cake
1. Heat oven to 350
  1. Line 24 muffin cups (in whatever array of muffin tins you are currently rocking) with liners
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, mix milk, sugar, maple syrup, canola oil and vanilla.
  1. Add dry ingredients to wet in batches.
  2. Mix together.
  3. Fold in coconut, carrots, ginger and walnuts.
4. Fill each liner 2/3 to 3/4 full.
  1. Bake for 24-28 minutes, or until tester comes out clean and the center is not overly soft to the touch.
  2. Rotate muffin tins at least once
Assembly

Using an apple corer or butter knife, cut a nickel sized cylinder in the cupcake and discard
Fill the cylinder with maple pastry cream
Pipe the luscious cream cheese frosting on top
Store cupcakes in the refrigerator after assembly if not consumed right away