Who’s been here since the very beginning? When The Small Slice was just a tiny little blip on the Internet, baking weekly (despite not having an oven) and tracking down great calamari. Since launching the bakery I’ve been thinking a lot about the good old days, five years ago, when The Small Slice was born and what happened to those weekly bakes? I strayed away from my recipe books once I found my feet, started experimenting and then baking became work, but I’d like to bring it back to The Small Slice origins.
One of my favourite blogs, Minimalist Kitchen, posted this recipe for Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes yearssssss ago and it’s been on my Pinterest board since then. I can’t use their recipe as it’s in ‘murican cups and sticks, but the concept is simple enough – vanilla cupcakes with funfetti sprinkles. So let’s do it.
For the cupcakes
120g plain flour
130g caster sugar
40g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 egg
120ml whole milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp funfetti sprinkles
muffin tray, baking cases, and a mechanical ice cream scoop (optional)
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 325°F.
Put the plain flour, caster sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of your freestanding mixer (or bowl if using a handheld electric mixer) and briefly mix together to evenly combine your raising agent with your dry ingredients. Add your butter in small pieces, but all at once, to your dry ingredients and mix until a fine sandy consistency is achieved.
In a separate bowl, or jug as I like to use, whisk the egg and vanilla into the milk.
With the mixer on low, pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Use a spatula or spoon to scrape down the sides of the bowl and your mixer blade, then beat for a further 20-40 seconds until well combined and smooth. Add 2 tbsp of funfetti sprinkles and use a spatula to gently fold in.
Use a mechanical ice cream scoop for even distribution into 12 baking cases in a muffin or cupcake tray. This is totally optional, if you have a good eye and steady hand just use two spoons! Bake for 12-16 minutes until golden brown and springy to touch.
For the funfetti buttercream
140g unsalted butter, at room temperature
340g icing sugar
3-4 tbsp cold whole milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
3-4 tbsp funfetti sprinkles
1 tbsp rainbow non-pareils sprinkles – optional
piping bag and piping nozzle of your choice – optional
Whether I use my Kitchen Aid freestanding mixer, or electric hand mixer depends on the quantity of buttercream I’m making. For a small amount like this (small in comparison to the amount I make for a bakery order or market day!) I use a glass bowl and my hand mixer. This is just for ease as I find the large Kitchen Aid bowl I have doesn’t always beat evenly with small amounts, but the following method is the same however you choose to make it.
Beat the butter for 2-3 minutes until it becomes lighter in colour and smooth. Add half of the icing sugar and beat for further 3 minutes. Add the remaining sugar and 2 tbsp of cold whole milk and beat for at least 5 minutes – the longer you work the buttercream, the smoother is becomes. Check the consistency for a smooth, pipe-able buttercream and if more milk is required to thin it slightly, add accordingly. If you’re using sprinkles in your buttercream as well as on top, fold those in gently so as not to pull the colours into your pale buttercream.
If piping, go ahead and fill your piping bag and get to swirling. You could also easily spoon a dollop of buttercream on each cupcake and smooth with a knife or the back of a spoon. Top with funfetti sprinkles!
Feed to friends, family orrrrrr… eat them yourself. If you’re interested in a UK friendly recipe for the Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes that inspired these then leave a comment below!
