Vanilla Cupcake with Red Bean

I forgot how I came across this recipe but it was definitely sometime last year when Seyda and I had a baking craze going on. Perhaps she was the one who found this awesome recipe! Anyway, I have made these yummilicious cupcakes occasionally since then. The red bean filling is so Asian, so different and definitely my cuppa “cake”! I made them both with and without frosting, depending on weather I’m feeding other people or not. If I’m just making it for my own consumption, I usually leave the cupcakes as is; frosting free. I’m not the biggest fan of frosting. As much as I love desserts, I find frostings most of the time too sweet for my palate.

The original baker whipped out a nice exotic Date-Pineapple Frosting to go with her Mooncake Cupcake. I decided to just pair the cupcake with a plain Cream Cheese Frosting. The baker also made her red bean paste filling from scratch. I find that store bought ones (the smooth paste kind) worked like magic and saves me time!! Here’s the recipe (I cut the recipes into half) of the divinely delicious Vanilla Cupcakes with Red Bean (Mooncake Cupcakes).

VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH RED BEAN RECIPE

Ingredients:

Part A (Cupcake):

• 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter @ Room Temperature
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1- 1/4 + 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
• 3/4 Tsp Baking Powder
• Pinch of Salt
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• About 1/2 Cup Smooth Red Bean Paste Filling

Part B (Optional Frosting):

• Cream Cheese Frosting
• Sesame Seeds (White and/or Black)

Method:

This method and recipe will give you about 24-26 small cupcakes.

Refrigerate red bean paste to firm it up and roll them into about 1 tsp balls. Place them on a parchment paper and set aside (in the fridge) until ready to use.

Preheat oven @ 350F. Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beat for 30 seconds between each. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add to mixer bowl. Add the milk and vanilla. Mix to combine.

Fill each cupcake paper about 1/4 full and make a little well in the batter. Gently press in a bean paste ball. Top with more batter until about 3/4 full. Smooth with the back of a spoon. Place cupcakes on baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until skewers come up clean.

Let cupcakes cool before frosting! Spread cupcakes with frosting and roll frosted cupcakes onto sesame seeds. Or just sprinkle it!

June’s comments: I baked my cupcakes in individual small soufflé cups. With this baking cups, I can bake more cupcakes at once without using a cupcake pan. Feel free to use regular cupcake liners, but remember to use a cupcake pan to hold the shape!

You can make these cupcakes as regular/standard size cupcakes. This will then yield you about 12 regular cupcakes. Increase the size of the red bean paste to about 3/4” balls to get more red bean in your cupcake! Standard size cupcakes will take about 20-25 minutes to bake.

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CREAM CHEESE FROSTING RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup Butter @ Room Temperature
• 4 Oz Cream Cheese @ Room Temperature
• 1 to 1-1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Method:

With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you get to desired sweetness and thickness.

Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.

June’s Comments: I hade enough frosting to spread onto my small cupcakes. Double the frosting if you need more!