S'Mores Cupcakes

Another Favorite Vegan Dessert

by Jessica


3/4 cup brown sugar


1/2 cup canola oil


2 tablespoons molasses


1/4 cup soy yogurt


1 1/4 cups soy milk


1 teaspoon vanilla extract


1 cup all-purpose flour


1 teaspoon baking powder


1/2 teaspoon baking soda


1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon


1/4 teaspoon salt


1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (see note below)

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Directions:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
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• 2. Mix the brown sugar, oil, molasses, yogurt, soy milk, and vanilla in a large bowl.
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• 3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a separate bowl and mix. Add the graham cracker crumbs and mix it up.
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• 4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three batches, mixing well after each addition.
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• 5. Fill cupcake liners full. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before decorating.

To assemble:

• Spread or pipe a thick layer of Vegan Fluffy Buttercream frosting onto each cupcake.
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• Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the frosting.
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• Drizzle with melted chocolate or with shaved chocolate and stick a graham cracker into each cupcake.
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• Either eat immediately for authentic s'mores warm yumminess, or allow to set.
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• Delicious either way and no one will go home unhappy.

Note: To rapidly make graham cracker crumbs, crumble six whole graham crackers into a food processor and process into crumbs. Measure out the 1/2 cup and save the rest of the crumbs for decorative purposes. If you don't have a food processor and can't find prepackaged vegan graham cracker crumbs (who can?), then place graham crackers in a plastic bag and cover with a dish towel. Use a kitchen mallet or plain ol' hammer to smash the crackers into fine crumbs. You may need to shake the bag a few times to make sure you get 'em all.

Cookies 'n' Cream Cupcakes (favorite)Vegan

by Jessica

1 cup soymilk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract,
chocolate extract, or more vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-processed or regular

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (about 10 cookies; chop first then measure) of coarsely chopped vegan chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies (like Newman-O's)

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Directions:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
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• 2. Whisk together the soymilk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract, and other extract, if using, to the soymilk mixture and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat till no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are okay).
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• 3. Mix in chopped cookies.
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• 4. Pour into liners, filling three-quarters of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
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• 5. Prepare Vegan Fluffy Buttercream Frosting, and stir into frosting 1/2 cup finely mashed sandwich cookie crumbs. Frost cupcakes generously, and top each cupcake with half of a sandwich cookie.

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Vegan Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening (I use Earth Balance brand)

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margarine

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted if clumpy

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup plain soymilk or soy creamer

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Directions:

• 1. Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 minutes more. Add the vanilla and soy milk, beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until fluffy.
• (I don't have a fancy mixer, I just beat by hand and it comes out just great, although tiring, it's worth it!!)

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Hope you can use some of these recipes! I do have to give credit for the Vegan cupcake recipes to the awesome book: "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero

These are only 2 of the 75 highly delicious cupcakes in the book. You don't always have to use vegan everything in the cupcake recipes. For example, use Oreos if you can't find Newman O's or regular HoneyMaid graham crackers instead of a vegan brand. No one is going to care or notice a difference, unless you are making them for a vegan friend.