Vanilla Vanilla!

Vanilla! Vanilla!

I was inspired by my daughter's Taitian Vanilla Dark Chocolate Solid Easter Bunny, this year. She was kind enough to share, and it was delicious. I haven't actually tasted these yet, but the parts individually are yummy, and how can you mess up chocolate and vanilla right?

So my Mother's Day Cupcake is a Vanilla Bean Cupcake with a Chocolate Vanilla Bean Ganache.

Vanilla Bean Cupcake

~18 cupcakes / 350 degree oven 20 minutes
 

1 stick  butter, room temperature

 1 1/2 cups sugar
 2 cups all-purpose flour
 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
 1/8 teaspoon salt
 1 cup milk
 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 1/2 vanilla bean
 4 large egg

Beat butter until soft and creamy, add sugar and beat for 3 minutes. In a bowl or cup, combine vanilla extract, milk and the seeds from a vanilla bean.

If you have never used vanilla beans before, brace yourself, unless you buy them online they are pricey, I find Target's Archer Farms to be reasonable in a pinch. By me you get 2 beans for about $6.00, it can be double at the grocery store. Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise, with a sharp knife, scrape the seeds out with the knife. It takes a few times to get the hang of it, but trust me, the flavor is worth the extra money and effort.

In another bowl combine you flour, salt, and baking powder, whusk together.

Add eggs to your butter and sugar mixture one at a time mixing between each. Add the wet and dry ingredients in thirds, mixing and alternating between each.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way and bake.

Chocolate Ganache

1 4oz 70% Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar

1 4oz 60% Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar

1 vanilla been

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

6 tablespoons butter (room temp)

In a double boiler (Or metal bowl on top of a pot of steaming water) combine chocolate broken up, 3 tablespoons of butter, and the seeds from the vanilla bean. Mix with a spatula until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set for about 2 minutes. Add remaining butter and vanilla extract and stir with a spatula. Dip cooled cupcakes in ganache or spoon on to each cupcake, top with garnish of your choice. I make little mothers day marshmallow fondant flowers. The gnash will crust over a bit.