Hi there

A friend of mine has just asked me if I can make her some diary free cupcakes for her son's birthday; no soy, milk or butter....eggs are okay.  I use Kakeladi's WASC recipe and I am wondering if anyone has successfully modified this recipe to make it dairy free? Instead of the sour cream, I always add yogurt in whatever flavour of cake I am making. To make this dairy free I am wondering if Almond milk yogurt would work....has anyone tried this??

For the buttercream, I use half butter and half shortening, icing sugar and high fat milk. I would HATE to use all shortening and water to make it no dairy so wondering if anyone has another suggestion that would be tastey?

Thanks so much in advance

Your best baking friend will become Thai coconut milk in cans (regular NOT lowfat). 

Chill the can and the watery juice separates from the coconut cream...it's like margarine in consistency.  The juice can be used in baking.

I do not post conversions because I can't possibly speak for anybody else's baking technique. 

There is one other option that I have only seen in Canada: Grace brand coconut "cream" which is really a firm  concentrated block of pure coconut fat.  I substitute it 1:1 for butter in cake recipes.

These products add a very mild coconut flavour that goes very well with a healthy dose of vanilla. For the sourness I add lime juice (bottled OK)

Thank you Baking Irene for your suggestion

Anyone else have any suggestions in case she doesnt was the milk coconut flavour?

Any suggestions on buttercream? Should I just use all shortening buttercream?

AI use coconut milk as my daughter can do cow milk, or soy. Don't use the caned coconut milk it has a strong coconut flavour. If you buy so delicious in the Tetra Pak it does not flavour your cake. There are few other brand packaged like this for those who are using it regularly in place of milk. You can add a little vinegar to it just like regular milk to make a quick butter milk. I think it's a safer bet than almond milk just in case any kids at the party have nut allergies. You could try rice milk, most of the recipes I use say you can use any milk of your preference. I have tried the coconut milk by so delicious it was okay. I have not tried making anything with it.