This is a historic weekend for Minneapolis – Thursday, August 1st was the first day same sex marriage was legal in our state (and in commemoration, starting at midnight, our Mayor performed 46 wedding ceremonies in 6 hours!) It’s amazing to me that just two years ago, we were fighting tooth and nail to be the first state to vote down a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, and today, I get to celebrate the marriage of two of my dearest friends.
No wedding would be complete without cake, and I was thrilled when Nicole and Monica gave me the privilege of making cupcakes for their reception. I was given no constraints, do whatever I’d like, or, as they sarcastically put it, if I’d prefer I can “try to encompass their entire relationship in tiny cakes.” Any other time I’d love the opportunity to get creative, but no guidance for a wedding? No colors? No theme? That’s a lot of pressure!
When I tried to distill down Nicole and Monica, I could think of two specific things – the pure happiness that emanates from them, and their love for color.
Nicole and Monica lean vegan, so the cupcakes, icing, and sugar cookies are all free of animal products. Wedding (cup)cakes can be tricky because you want them to be special, but you also have to please a crowd, so I started with the reliable Golden Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and added 1 tbsp almond extract.
For the icing, I used soy milk to veganize the old standby vanilla buttercream recipe I was given years ago by Fran, my Wilton cake decorating instructor.
Buttercream Icing
Print recipe
Ingredients
- 2lb powdered sugar (1 bag)
- 11 tablespoons milk (of your choice)
- 1 cup organic shortening (look for Spectrum brand)
- 2 teaspoons extract (of your choice)
Directions
| Mix together ingredients by hand, then whip at high speed until light and fluffy. This crusts quickly, so cover the bowl with a damp towel while you work with it. Makes enough icing for 1/4 sheet or 24 cupcakes. | |
Recipe and photographs from Mayhem in the Kitchen! https://mayheminthekitchen.com/vegan-wedding-cupcakes/ |
For decoration, I baked some simple vegan sugar cookies, stuck them into the icing, and covered it all in brightly colored sprinkles. Cute, festive, and delicious!
Vegan Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups ultragrain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups organic shortening (look for Spectrum brand)
Directions
| Mix the shortening and sugar until creamy, then add almond extract. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into creamed mixture. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and freeze until firm. Cut out cookies and place on a baking sheet at least 1/2" apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 or until set. Do not brown. | |
Recipe and photographs from Mayhem in the Kitchen! https://mayheminthekitchen.com/vegan-wedding-cupcakes/ |
Happy marriage equality weekend, Minneapolis! <3
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