Vanilla Saffron Cupcakes
I don’t really have adventurous tastes. I tend to play it safe with flavors, but my interest was piqued when I spotted a recipe for vanilla saffron cupcakes in one of my baking books. Saffron has such a distinct flavor. I would describe it as tasting like the sea, with some earthiness, and a little bit of heat. The spice gives this cake a kick , which is then softened just a bit by the vanilla and lemon flavors in the buttercream. This cupcake is different, but delicious! I’m livin’ on the edge, folks.
Try as I might, I couldn’t find saffron anywhere, so I ordered a tin of it from amazon.com. A couple things to keep in mind when using saffron: a little goes a long way; it is recommended to soak saffron in a few teaspoons of water or even wine for as long as 12 hours before using (I didn’t do this); saffron is expensive, in fact, it is the most expensive spice in the world.
The frosting is an American-style buttercream. American-style buttercream is composed of butter, powdered sugar, somtimes milk (though not in this recipe), and flavorings. It also requires no cooking, so it’s easy! When prepared properly, the buttercream should be smooth and shiny. You can also use shortening with the butter, or in place of. The shortening has a higher melting point, but is not as tasty. I used all butter for this recipe, and vanilla bean paste and lemon extract for my flavors. I also used about 4 drops of yellow food coloring to make my frosting appear sunny. I love how the yellow frosting is studded with little black vanilla seeds.
My piping technique is not quite up to par, but it will do for now. I used a 21 tip and a disposable piping bag, and basically started in the center and spiraled out.
- 1/2 cup plus 1 TBS (125 g) Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 cup (199 g) Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- a pinch of Saffron Strands
- 2 cups (250 g) Self-Rising Flour, sifted
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 3/4 cup plus 1 TBS (185 g) Unsalted Butter, softened
- 2 1/4 cups (281 g) Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 1 and 1/4 tsp. Lemon Extract
- 1 and 1/4 tsp. Vanilla Bean Paste, or Vanilla Extract
- Yellow Food Coloring
- Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F. Line a 12-cupcake pan with cupcake papers.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until it appears lighter in color and fluffy. Scrape down the sides. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and saffron. Mix until combined, and scrape down the sides again.
- With the mixer on a low speed, add the sifted flour and milk, alternating between the two a little at a time. Mix just until combined.
- Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full of batter. You may have a little extra batter left over. Refrigerate the extra until ready to use. Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and firm to touch. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool fully before applying buttercream.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add sifted powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla and lemon extracts and stir. Add the food coloring one drop at a time until you reach your desired color.
