Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Simon needed to make a dessert for work tomorrow, so he spearheaded the baking of Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Let's just say only some of the cupcakes will make it to the office...

Recipe:
Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting


For the cupcakes:

• 1.5 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer powder (or another egg equivalent)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1.75 cups soymilk
• 1/2 cup water, divided
• 1/2 cup vegan butter, melted
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the frosting:

• 1/4 cup vegan butter, softened
• 1/4 all-vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cocoa powder
• 2.5 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons soymilk
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract

First, prepare the cupcakes.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line muffin tins with muffin cups and set aside.  In a small bowl, whisk together the egg replacer powder and 2 tablespoons water until well-incorporated.  Add the soymilk and 1/4 cup water and stir.  In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar using an electric mixer (if possible) until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla and the remaining 1/4 cup water and beat well.  In another separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add this and the egg replacer mixture to the butter mixture; beat until no large chunks remain.  

 

Fill the muffin cups evenly with batter--I like to use a 1/4 cup measuring cup when filling each cup to help with consistency.  Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, first mix together the butter and shortening until well combined, using an electric mixer if possible.  Then add the cocoa powder and mix well.  Finally, add the powdered sugar, soymilk, and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.  Frost the cooled cupcakes using a piping bag or a rubber spatula/knife.

Yields about 18 cupcakes.

Comments:

Taste:      

The flavor of these cupcakes is really nice, but our cake came out a little bit chewier than I expect a cupcake to be.  (I think this was largely due to the fact that we didn't use an electric mixer, meaning the batter wasn't mixed as well as it could've been.  Rookie mistake.)   The frosting was noteworthy, with a deep cocoa flavor and a very fluffy texture.

Accessibility:        

If you don't have egg replacer powder on hand, you can use 1 teaspoon of baking soda along with 1 tablespoon of vinegar as an egg replacement.  Apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar work best.  In fact, I think I will use vinegar next time since I'm discovering that I like it best as the egg replacement in cakes and cupcakes.       

 Ease of Preparation:   

These cupcakes are pretty easy to make.  Yes, you'll get a lot of bowls dirty, but that comes with the territory.       

Non-vegan friendliness:   

With the couple alterations I suggested above--again, more careful mixing and swapping out vinegar for egg replacer powder--these cupcakes would garner 4 carrots.  This time they weren't up to par, unfortunately, but I know they'll be better next time.