German Chocolate Cupcakes

I think this was the best of the three cupcakes, but it's probably the worst photo!  Alas...

I combined the basic (but perfect!) chocolate cupcake recipe--which has already appeared in S'mores Cupcakes, Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes, and Chocolate Mint Cupcakes--with a coconut fudge frosting in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  This frosting was amazing: chewy, and nutty, and interesting...and at the end of the whole process, I lifted the chocolate ganache recipe from the S'mores cupcakes, and drizzled that over the top, so it really was not unlike eating a Caramel Delite (or Samoa, apparently).  In adapting the recipe, I used walnuts instead of pecans, and got a more spreadable frosting by using nuts and coconut that were quite finely chopped.

The relationship between the brown sugar and the coconut milk continually changed through the process, but it was always a beautiful one.

This just in (10/6/10): leftover frostings of all kinds taste really good on graham crackers, and the Coconut Walnut Fudge Frosting tastes amazing on pretty much everything (including graham crackers), but especially apple slices.

German Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes

(adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)

Ingredients

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

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350*.  Line cupcake pan with papers.
2. In a pyrex, combine soymilk and vinegar and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. In one large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. In another mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil, vanilla, and almond extract.  Then add curdled soymilk-vinegar mixture.  Then add flour mixture to the wet mixture.  Don't overmix.
5. Fill tins to approximately 2/3 full.
6. Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes.  Then, let them cool for 10 minutes before removing from tin.  Makes 12 cupcakes, but only if you're stingy on your portion size.

Coconut Walnut Fudge Frosting

(adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)

Ingredients

1/4 c soymilk

2 TB cornstarch

pinch of salt

3/4 c coconut milk

1 c brown sugar (reduce?)

1 c shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2 c walnuts, well-chopped

1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Whisk soymilk, cornstarch, and salt together in a pyrex; set aside.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine coconut milk and brown sugar.  Cook while stirring until mixtures begins to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Add soymilk mixture slowly, then simmer about 7 minutes.  Stir constantly.
4. Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients.  Allow to cool before using.  Frosts about 16 cupcakes.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

1/3 c chocolate chips

2 TB vegan butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Heat ganache ingredients in a double-boiler setup (or in a microwave?).  When completely melted and combined, remove from heat.  When cool, spoon the mixture into a plastic bag, then cut off the tip and "pipe" chocolate onto cupcakes.