Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes

Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes!? How could anyone NOT want to devour them all?

Do I really need to type up some snarky shit about how cupcakes are so 5 years ago and how the trend is to make deconstructed hipster desserts? Nah. Fuck that. Everyone loves cupcakes and always will. Deal with it.

I normally make my own frosting, but I was in a crunch and snagged some "accidentally vegan" frosting from the market. You can be a fancy pants and make your own...I won't judge. I'm a busy chickpea and just didn't have time. That's life.

On with the show.

This recipe makes 1 dozen cupcakes.

What you need:

• 1 cup nondairy milk
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/8-1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil (you can probably use canola, but I don't love the taste of it)
• 2 TB espresso powder (more if you're a sassy one)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/3ish cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup sugar of your choice
• 1 & 1/4 cups flour
• chocolate frosting of your choice.

 What you do:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line your cupcake pan with paper liners. I buy the IF YOU CARE brand baking cups that are unbleached and all that jazz.They just seem to work the best for me and never, ever stick to my cuppies.
2. Mix your frosting with about 1 TB of the espresso powder...add more until it tastes how you want it to. Set aside. You could do this last or whenever. Your choice. Lucky you.
3. In a bowl or a large measuring cup, whisk together the other TB espresso powder with the milk, oil, and extract(s). Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together salt, baking power, baking soda, cocoa, and flour.
5. Whisk your liquid into the dry mix until just combined. If you mix too much, that shit gets tough as it bakes. No one wants your shitty, tough cuppies.
6. Scoop your batter into the baking cups until theyre about 2/3-3/4 of the way full. 
7. Put on the middle rack of your oven and bake about 23 minutes. Yours might be longer or less, just keep a close eye. Mine was exactly 23 minutes. How do you know they're done? Insert a dry toothpick into the center of a few of the cupcakes. If they come out cleanly, those dudes are done. 
8. Let your cuppies cool completely and then slather some killer chocolate espresso frosting on top. Dig in, dudes!

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Biscoff Frosting - VeganMoFo #6

 

I've been meaning to make something tasty with Biscoff spread for months, but never got around to it until today. I decided to make a dozen of these Vanilla Bean Cupcakes that I found on The PPK website this morning. It just so happens that I had 1 single vanilla bean left in my spice cupboard, so I took the plunge. I made some of the tastiest vanilla cupcakes I've ever had. My only complaint is that vanilla beans are so expensive or I'd buy them more often. If you get the chance, though, definitely make the PPK's vanilla bean cupcakes. Their recipe comes with a chocolate ganache topping, but I wanted to attempt a  Biscoff fosting instead.

The frosting gave me some trouble. I couldn't get it to be as firm as I wanted it, without getting really foamy in texture. I'll just have to keep working on it. Because it isn't yet perfected, I don't have an exact recipe. Here's what I used, though:

• about 1/2 cup Biscoff spread
• about 1 TB room temp vegan butter
• about 2 TB shortening (to make it creamy and hold its shape)
• about 2 cups powdered/confectioner's sugar
• about 3-4 TB almond milk

You just blend it all together with a hand mixer until nice and smooth-ish and to your liking. Mine tasted spectacular with the vanilla bean cupcakes. The texture was mostly smooth, but a bit softer than I prefer. After I piped the cupcakes, I let them set out for about an hour for the frosting to firm up a bit and hold its shape.

Here are some photos of the cupcake progress:

Dark Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

It's been ages since I made cupcakes, and I felt the craving come on last night. So, I decided to try something I've been thinking about for a while. I love dark chocolate and I love mint. Thus, the dark chocolate cuppie was born. And, as always, it's all vegan and all delicious.

If you've ever had the mint Oreos (yes, they're vegan), you know what kind of flavor to expect here. This frosting tastes identical to the minty cream filling in the Oreos. I love love love love love my dark chocolate cocoa. It really adds a nice depth of flavor to the cupcakes. I've added it to my fabbo Double Chocolate Pecan Cookies for a deeper flavor a few times as an experiment. Dudes. It was no joke. So, anyway, I don't feel much like chatting as I have a terrible headache this evening. Make the cuppies.

Makes 6 cuppies. I can't make a dozen or else my pants will no longer fit. No joke.

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup +1 TB flour
• 3 1/2 TB dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp baking soda
• scant 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp vinegar
• 1/2 tsp mint extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (if you don't have any, substitute vanilla extract)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 1/2 TB canola oil
• 1/3 cup sugar

Frosting Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 TB vegetable shortening
• 2 TB almond milk
• 1 tsp mint extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar (amount varies depending on how stiff you want the frosting)
• A few drops of food coloring (optional)

Cupcake Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 6 cupcake papers.
2. Combine the almond milk and the vinegar in a big bowl. Set aside for about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, start the next steps.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Add the extracts and oil to the milk mixture.
5. Add the wet bowl to the dry and beat until no dry spots remain and you don't see any chunks. 
6. Equally distribute in the cupcake papers. They'll be 2/3 to 3/4 full. Then bake on middle shelf for approx. 18 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Don't frost them until the cuppies are completely cool. Otherwise your frosting will melt. Don't be that person. 

Frosting Method:

1. Whip the shortening with the extracts. 
2. Add the almond milk and then add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until it reaches the thickness you prefer. Set aside while the cuppies cool.

Kickass Coconut Cupcakes

The time has come for me to blow your minds with my mad cupcake skillz. Be prepared to experience a mouthgasm. I guarantee you will come crawling back, begging for more like some damn junky. To be honest, I'm really only sharing my recipe because I'm tired of beating back the cuppie junkies with my broom everyday. Get off my lawn! *shaking my fist*

So, here's the deal: I don't put a ton of coconut in the cupcake itself otherwise you have trouble disconnecting the cuppie from the wrapper, which I find infinitely annoying. Maybe you don't. So, if that's your thing, feel free to add more coconut to your batter. In the meantime, I will be here mocking your inability to peel your paper cups from your cuppies. I just add more coconut to the frosting to make up for it. Take that.

I have one more hint for this recipe. The frosting can be as runny or as stiff (ha) as you want it to be. Just add more powdered sugar as needed to stiffen it up. I like it pretty stiff (that's what she said), so I just keep adding powdered sugar by the 1/4th cup as needed. If you didn't know, 1/4 cup is the same as 4 TB. See, you've not only gained access to my wonderful recipe, you've learned something useful. For once.

My recipe is for 12 cupcakes, so you will need to engage in mathematical equations if you're wanting less. I originally wrote it for just 6, but then I realized that most folks would find that odd, so I have done you a favor by doing the math and making it so you don't have to. See, I can be nice sometimes! Now back off and leave me to the recipe-sharing.

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance, room temp
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 egg replacements (as usual, I use Ener-G brand)
• 2 tsp plus a few extra drops vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2./3 plus 1/4 cup milk of your choice (I used coconut milk this time, but usually use almond)
• 2/3 cup sweetened coconut shreds

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Earth Balance, room temp
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 TB milk of your choice (again, I used coconut)
• 1/2 to 1 tsp vanilla extract depending on your tastes
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut shreds
• Optional: you can also add a few TB of vegan cream cheese to the frosting, which I sometimes do, but not today. Make up your own mind. 

 Cupcake Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line your muffin pan with 12 paper liners. I use the kind from the health food store that have no dyes or wax or any of that. I'm elitist that way.
2. Cream together the Earth Balance and sugar. Don't worry. It will be a little grainy.
3. Whisk in your egg replacement and vanilla extract.
4. Whisk in flour, baking powder, salt and milk. This should be mostly smooth, maybe a few tiny lumps.
5. Gently fold in the coconut.
6. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the better out and fill the paper liners 2/3 full. If you fill beyond that point, do not blame me...I warned you.
7. Bake on middle rack 20-23 minutes. You want a bit of a golden hue around the edges. But, to be sure, do the toothpick test. 
8. Remove from the pan and let cool on a rack at least 30-45 minutes before frosting. 

Frosting Method:

1. Whip your Earth Balance (and cream cheese if you chose to add that) until nice and fluffy.
2. Mix in the vanilla and milk until just combined.
3. Slowly blend in the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time so it doesn't make a giant poof of sugar all over you. I've done it. You look stupid and feel like an idiot. Anyway, I add about 2 cups total here. 
4. Mix in the coconut. After that, I almost always add more powdered sugar because I like a good stiff frosting (similar to how I like my cocktails).
5. Refrigerate frosting while the cookies are cooling. I do recommend waiting until your cupcakes are cool to the touch before frosting otherwise your frosting melts and it makes a terrible mess and people will mock your cuppies.  You can always put the cuppies in the fridge to cool if you're in a time crunch. 

So, you're welcome. Or whatever.

Chocolate Glazed Cupcakes

This is a classic recipe I used on my old website and I just thought I'd share it here, too, because it's too good to miss out on.  It is absolutely amazing, especially when you get a chocolate craving (ladies, I'm talking to you).  I know how it is.  These are some moist, rich, wonderful chocolate cupcakes.  And I just can't believe how delectable these cupcakes are. I never ever thought a sweet recipe would have vinegar and still taste amazing.

Who needs loads of frosting when you have a killer chocolate glaze?  Not me.  As much as I love frosting (which is a lot) I wasn't sure that I would really like the glaze. I do like it. A lot. Like, crazy amounts of love.  Don't get me wrong, I typically find cupcakes to be merely a frosting delivery tool.  But, these cuppies are so amazing that you won't miss the fluffy sweet frosting.  These are really some of the best cupcakes I've ever had.

This recipe is adapted from this recipe at the Radishes & Rhubarb blog. I had to change a few ingredients to fit what I had on-hand. I'm thinking that there is one little thing I am going to change next time. And that is to add some espresso powder to the glaze to kick up the flavor just a bit more. But, they are fabulous as-is. 

The recipe makes 12 cuppies.

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup light canola oil
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Glaze Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tsp sugar
• 4 TB Earth Balance Spread
• 2 TB reduced fat almond milk
• 1 TB warm water
• 2 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners (or lightly oil cups and go liner-free).
2. In a medium/large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Whisk until very well combined and homogenous in appearance.
3. Then whisk the warm water, vanilla, oil and vinegar into the dry mix. Stir only until you see no more dry powder.
4. Carefully pour batter into the liners until 2/3 full. Place in center of oven. Bake 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into cupcakes comes out clean. Mine took right about 18 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.
5. When the cupcakes have cooled, start the glaze.
6. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, Earth Balance, almond milk, warm water and cocoa powder. Place pan over a medium heat and stir continually. Bring the mixture to a light boil, stirring and scraping the pan bottom constantly. This took me about 4-5 minutes.
7. Remove pan from heat and add vanilla. Stir non-stop for 5 minutes. Glaze will thicken somewhat and also get a bit darker.
8. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cupcakes and dig in! They are super tasty!