Since the winter season is upon us I figured it's time for some cold weather flavours. I personally like my coffee as coffee but I know lattes are very big. So I'm thinking a Vanilla Bean Latte Cupcake. I have always been a huge fan of vanilla beans and have a very good vanilla bean cake recipe that i would use. What I am having trouble with is the remainder of the recipe. I have never filled a cupcake so I'm not overly sure as to what would be better to fill it with. On one hand I could do a coffee buttercream and on the other I could do a coffee pastry cream. Which would work better? Also I would like to replicate the whipped topping that comes on a latte but as a buttercream. Has anyone tried replacing milk with say nutriwhip in a buttercream or have any recipes that might give a whipped cream taste to a buttercream?

For a whipped cream type of buttercream, just use Heavy Whipping Cream. That's what is used when making whipped cream after all. The topping on a latte is milk foam, so not sure how you would replicate that exactly.

As far as buttercream versus pastry cream goes :http://www.erinnudi.com/2015/04/29/difference-between-pastry-cream-and-buttercream/ That site says pastry cream is basically a custard. But I've never made it, always have made buttercream.

I filled some cupcakes for the first time a few weeks ago, I put my leftover ganache in them. It went over very well. And for flavors, don't forget you can spice it up a bit with cinnamon, chai, ginger, and peppermint. Just head down to your local coffee shop to see what seasonal offerings they have. :)

Which reminds me, our bakery has an awesome (non-alcoholic) apple toddy right now.... I think I'll get a cup tomorrow! :D

Thank you for the info. I do however know the difference between pastry cream and buttercream. I was more wondering about the effects both will have on the cupcake itself and also how easily they are used to fill the cupcakes. 

I did some research and found a very nice whipped buttercream recipe that I believe I will try out. Never realized there was such a thing and it sounds exactly like what I am needing. Should be sturdy like buttercream but have that whipped cream taste to it. Should give it an iced vanilla bean latte feel which is exactly what I'm trying to achieve. 

As for checking out coffee shops and seeing what is being served, thats a great idea. I'm not a huge flavored coffee fan but the idea seems to transfer over to baking so easily that I believe I will have to become a fan. Lol