Chocolate Cupcakes +

I recently made cupcakes for my friend's birthday. She's a professed chocolate maniac, so I knew that whatever I made would be chocolate, but I guess I wanted to make it a little trickier, while it's still summer and I still have the time to bake. I therefore made two variations on the chocolate cupcake recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes with Chocolate Amaretto Frosting, and Chocolate Mint Chip Cupcakes with Mint Frosting. I adapted my frosting recipes from The Joy of Vegan Baking, because these recipes don't call for vegetable shortening, which necessarily contains hydrogenated oils, I think. Changes to the cupcake recipe consisted of reducing the sugar (especially when frosted, they are more than sweet enough), changing the oil to corn (butterier taste), and adding extracts and other small objects. Changes to the chocolate frosting recipe included reducing sugar, increasing cocoa (for a fantastic consistency), and adding almond extract. Changes to the plain frosting recipe included adding mint. The mint frosting still needs work--it was too minty and too buttery, and not stiff enough. Next time I might just make chocolate mint, since the cocoa so improves the consistency.

Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes with Chocolate Amaretto Frosting

Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes
(adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World):
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 to 5/8 cup turbinado sugar
1/3 cup corn oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 TB coffee, finely ground
(directions follow other recipes)

Chocolate Amaretto Frosting
(adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking):
1/2 c Earth Balance
2 c powdered sugar
1/2 c cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
3-4 TB nondairy milk
12 coffee beans
(directions follow other recipes)

Chocolate Mint Chip Cupcakes with Mint Frosting

Chocolate Mint Chip Cupcakes
(adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World):

1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 to 5/8 cup turbinado sugar
1/3 cup corn oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tsp mint extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 c chocolate chips

Mint Frosting
(adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking):
1/2 c Earth Balance
2 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp mint extract
2 TB nondairy milk
chocolate bar for shaving
small mint leaves


Directions

For either cupcake recipe:

1. preheat oven to 350 and line 12 cupcake tins
2. whisk together soy milk and vinegar in a large mixing bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes so that the milk can curdle

3. Add the sugar, oil, and extracts into the soy milk/vinegar mixture and beat with an electric mixer until foamy (about 3-4 minutes)
4. sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder
5. gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold until just combined
5.5. fold in coffee or chocolate chips
6. fill the cupcake tins about 3/4 full
7. bake for about 20 minutes-the tops will slightly crack
8. let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then let them cool completely out of the tins
9. frost, and garnish with coffee beans or mint leaves and chocolate shavings

For either frosting recipe:

1. cream Earth Balance
2. add sugar, cream it
3. add extracts and cocoa (if using), beat until fluffy
4. add milk as necessary
5. cover extra to store