This post started in a funny way.

Okay, it was not that funny when I first started experimenting but looking back now, it was sort of funny.

You see, my mom loves gardening. She is darn good at it too. So she brought over some blue pea flower shoots(?) and planted them in my little garden.

The plants grew and grew very quickly and now I am able to harvest blue pea flowers. Naturally I had to make something with these flowers! (These flowers grow very quickly and flower regularly – you can see them climbing up fences everywhere – just pluck them, they are FREE!)

I am not a big fan of Nonya kuehs, so I did the next best thing – I thought I’d use them to make some cupcakes.

Using my favorite cupcake recipe, I proceeded to make blue pea cupcakes. When I added the water that I had extracted the blue pea color, my batter turned GREEN.

It was not just any shade of green. It was the most disgusting, most frightening and most horrible shade of green.

*FAINT*

I looked at my batter in horror. There was no way I could serve anyone cupcakes in THAT color, so I chucked everything away and fumed.

And sulked.

When I calmed down, I realised that the natural blue color + the yellow of the egg yolks produced green. No, I was not really very attentive in Science class. 

ARGH.

So, not one to give up, I decided to try again. This time I used only the egg whites to make the cupcakes.

And this time, I got it right.

Beautiful blue pea cupcakes with topped with gula melaka swiss meringue buttercream (click on words for  recipe) and drizzled with gula melaka caramel (click on words for recipe). 

Oh man. 

I can tell you this was all worth it. Every bit of trauma I had to suffer from looking at putrid GREEN cupcakes. 

So so swee (pretty)!

Anyway, I have rambled on quite a bit, so here are the instructions on how to make these beautiful cupcakes.

Start by extracting the blue from the blue pea flowers. Place about 30 blue pea flowers in a heavy bottom saucepan. Add water and turn cook on low heat, stirring all the while.

Once all the flowers have wilted, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool. Drain and squeeze the flowers to extract ever drop of color. Set this aside.

When the blue pea extract has cooled, add 2-3 tablespoons to about 1/4 cup (60ml) of coconut milk and stir to mix – you need to adjust the amount depending on the color of your extract. Once you are happy with the color, top up with more coconut milk to make 2/3 cup (160ml). Set this aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix together melted butter and sugar. The mixture may be grainy – that is ok. Add the egg whites, Greek yogurt, the blue coconut milk, vanilla paste (if using) and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.

Add the sifted dry ingredients in 3 additions and mix until just combined.

Divide the batter into 12 cupcake liners. Bake at 180°C for about 20 minutes, or until an inserted skewer emerges cleanly.

Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting with Gula Melaka Swiss Meringue Buttercream, or the frosting of your choice and drizzle with Gula Melaka caramel. 

They are so pretty, especially the natural pale blue cupcakes.

So, I made a Nonya kueh-inspired cupcake.

And I am darn pleased with myself!

😀

Bluepea Flower (Bunga Telang) Cupcakes With Gula Melaka Swiss Meringue Buttercream

2015-04-15 21:15:38

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Ingredients

1. 1 and 2/3 cup (210g) plain flour
2. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3. 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. 1 cup (200g) caster sugar
6. 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
7. 2 egg whites

For the blue pea flower extract

1. 30 blue pea flowers
2. 2 pandan leaves, tied in a knot
3. 1/8 cup (30ml) water

For the cupcakes

1. 1/4 cup (60g) vanilla greek yogurt (or plain; or regular yogurt; or even sour cream)
2. 2/3 cup (150ml) coconut milk
3. 2 tablespoons (30ml) blue pea flower extract
4. 2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla extract
5. 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla beans (or substitute with 1 more teaspoon of vanilla extract)

Instructions

1. Start by extracting the blue from the blue pea flowers. Place about 30 blue pea flowers in a heavy bottom saucepan. Add water and turn cook on low heat, stirring all the while.
2. Once all the flowers have wilted, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool. Drain and squeeze the flowers to extract ever drop of color. Set this aside.
3. When the blue pea extract has cooled, add 2-3 tablespoons to about 1/4 cup (60ml) of coconut milk and stir to mix – you need to adjust the amount depending on the color of your extract. Once you are happy with the color, top up with more coconut milk to make 2/3 cup (160ml). Set this aside.
4. In a mixing bowl, mix together melted butter and sugar. The mixture may be grainy – that is ok. Add the egg whites, Greek yogurt, the blue coconut milk, vanilla paste (if using) and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
5. Add the sifted dry ingredients in 3 additions and mix until just combined.
6. Divide the batter into 12 cupcake liners. Bake at 180°C for about 20 minutes, or until an inserted skewer emerges cleanly.
7. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting with Gula Melaka Swiss Meringue Buttercream, or the frosting of your choice and drizzle with Gula Melaka caramel.

Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

The Domestic Goddess Wannabe http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/