VEGAN DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Valentines day is kinda dorky but it gives me a reason to bake something good. This valentines day I decided to bake some cupcakes. AS PER USUAL. Because I am a cupcake fanatic if you haven't already noticed. This was my first attempt at buttercream frosting and I was soooo pleased! I need to get a good icing bag to make my cupcakes look professional now. This icing is the perfect recipe for decorative cakes or any baked good. I added some beet powder to make the icing pink for valentines. Its a great natural way to color your food and its good for you! Vegan food coloring is seriously hard to find in Victoria. The double chocolate cupcakes were an extra sweet treat for my boyfriend for Valentines. Although I think its kind of silly for everyone to celebrate their relationships on one day, I loveeee hearts, flowers, the colors pink and red because they are cute everyday of the year... Just like my boyfriend hehe. Anyways, these are some seriously sweet cupcakes so if you have a sweet tooth or you're a lover of chocolate you will loveee this. It has alot more sugar than my baked goods usually do but whatever! Its valentines day, celebrate with some sugar. 

VEGAN DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Cupcake recipe
1 1/2 cups unbleached organic white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of sea salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/3 cup of Enjoy Life vegan mega chocolate chunks (link attached)
1/4 cup earth balance, melted
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup everland organic coconut milk  (link attached)       


Buttercream frosting recipe
1/2 cup earth balance, melted
2 cups wholesomesweeteners organic powdered sugar (link attached)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons beet powder

Steps

Makes 12

Preheat your oven to 350F. In a large bowl begin by adding all your dry ingredients. Flour through chocolate chips. Stir together all the ingredients well with a fork. Make sure there is no lumps in the mixture. In a medium sized bowl combine your butter, sugar, vanilla and coconut milk. Stir together well with a fork until everything is well combined. Make a well in the middle of your dry mix to add the wet mix too. Pour the wet mix in, stirring while combining. You should be using a large spoon to mix it now or an electric mixer. Once all ingredients are well combined it should be like the consistency of pancake batter. Prepare a muffin baking tray with either liners or oiled. Take one big spoon full and place into a muffin slot. The batter should be about 2/3 full. Repeat 12 times and place in the oven. Bake for 18 minutes. 

Once your cupcakes are ready take them out of the oven. You can stab them with a toothpick to make sure they are done but mine were perfect after 18 minutes. Remove from tray and place on a large plate to cool down. Time for frosting!!

To make the frosting you'll need an electric mixer. I have an old handheld one and it worked perfect! First you'll want to melt your butter. Add your melted butter to a medium sized bowl. Add your vanilla. Begin to add your powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Start to mix it using your mixer and continue to add the rest of your sugar while mixing it.

 Keep beating your frosting for 4 minutes. It should be a good, thick, creamy texture by now. If its not, keep mixing. If its too thick you can add some coconut milk 1 teaspoon at a time. Once the consistency is right you can sprinkle in your beet powder. Continue mixing while adding the powder. Beat for another 2 minutes. 

Once all your beet powder is well combined and your icing is a nice pink color you can throw it in the fridge. If you are using an icing bag, place your icing into the bag then place it in the fridge until your cupcakes are ready to be frosted. Allow your cupcakes to cool for 10-15 minutes before icing them. This should make the perfect amount of frosting for this recipe. Ice your cupcakes then serve! These will rock your world. 

CUPCAKE CRAZY

I have been going cupcake crazy lately and baking up a storm. I always feel like baking more in the fall/winter season. It makes the house extra toasty and smell good. Here's some awesome pictures I forgot to post of the inside of my vegan vanilla chocolate chip cupcakes -thats a link to the recipe..

PLUS a little sneak peek at my next crazy baked good. I'm going to post 

Can you guess what those are!?

VEGAN RED VELVET CUPCAKES

I lovee beet root powder! Such an awesome ingredient to have in your pantry. Not only is it great for you(see benefits of beet powder)  it tastes amazing. It gives your baked goods this really authentic fruity taste without having to add big piece of fruit and its awesome for coloring things. I spent a long time trying to find red food coloring (NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE) but when I finally did and it was almost 10 dollars for a very small bottle I figured I better find something better. Thats when I went to the herb store and got some red beet root powder. It doesnt taste or smell like much on its own but once you add water it has a very rich red color. I haven't experimented with it too much yet but it works GREAT for red velvet things and coloring icing. Enjoy these delicious red velvet cupcakes :) Happy cruelty free living!!

VEGAN RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Recipe

Makes 12

1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

3/4 cup wholesome sweetners turbinado sugar

pinch of sea salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

dash of cinnamon

2 tablespoons of fair trade organic cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup of earths own almond fresh coconut almond milk

1/4 cup of earth balance original buttery spread

Food coloring

2 teaspoons beet powder

1 1/2 tablespoons water

Mixed together well with a fork.

Steps

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Oil a cupcake tray with coconut oil or place cupcake liners in each spot. Combine all your dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with a fork. Make sure there is no clumps. Create a well in the middle. Melt your earth balance and pour out 1 cup of your almond milk. Combine wet ingredients, adding the vanilla as well, in a medium sized bowl. Dump your wet mixture into your dry and begin to mix with a fork. Combine your beet powder and water. Add to the mixture. Continue stirring until all dry ingredients are absorbed and everything is well incorporated. Your mixture should be pretty runny and pourable. Once the oven is preheated you're ready to fill your cupcake tray. Fill each slot 2/3 full. Sprinkle with some of your favorite toppings or add icing and sprinkles afterwards!  Bake for 10-15 minutes and enjoy!!!

*cool before icing.

(I will be posting my icing recipe later)

VEGAN VANILLA CHOCOLATE CHIP CUPCAKES

VEGAN VANILLA CHOCOLATE CHIP CUPCAKES

w/ cinnamon glaze

I have been baking cupcakes like no tomorrow lately. I have another recipe after this that is crazy!! Anyways these are more on the simple side of things. I wanted to show an easy cupcake recipe since the last ones were a little time consuming. This recipe is really nice and moist. Great for storing, they taste even better the next day. The cinnamon glaze was just something I whipped up for fun because I wanted to use my sprinkles and it was a success! It soaked into the cupcakes a bit making them all gooey and soft. If you love baking like me, you'll love this easy vegan cupcake recipe. 

Recipe

Makes 12

1/2 cup organic brown sugar

1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup almond fresh vanilla almond milk

1/4 cup earth balance , melted

1/4 cup camino dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together well with fork to beat out all the clumps. 

Next combine your milk, vanilla and margarine in a small bowl. Stir together. Make a well in the middle of your dry mix and add the wet mixture. Mix ingredients together well until there's no lumps. It should look like this!

Add your chocolate chips and stir one more time. Oil a muffin pan with coconut oil and fill each hole until 2/3 full. Sprinkle some coconut on top if you want and pop them in the oven!

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Test with a tooth pick to make sure they are done. It'll come out clean if they are.

This gives you the perfect amount of time to make your cinnamon glaze!

CINNAMON GLAZE RECIPE

1/3 cup earth balance buttery spread, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon almond fresh vanilla almond milk

1 cup wholesome sweeteners powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Steps

Combine butter , vanilla and milk in a medium sized bowl and stir together well. Start to gradually add your powdered sugar, beating it into the liquid with a fork. 

Add your cinnamon and begin to stir. You'll see your icing start to form so just keep mixing it! The longer the better. It helps fluff up the icing. Once your icing is thick and a little fluffy pop it in the fridge and wait for your cupcakes to be done.

Remove your cupcake from the oven once they are done (15-20 minutes) Take them out of the pan to allow them to cool. Let cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle your glaze all over your cupcake and throw some sprinkles on top! These are so fun to make and they look amazing afterwards. Have fun getting cupcake creative. Happy cruelty free baking!

VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES

VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES

These were amazing. I love using fresh fruit vs extracts. It gives it some real flavour. I mean vanilla is fine, buying pure vanilla bean is insanely expensive but oranges are pretty cheap so go big and get organic. :) I've had a major sweet tooth lately and have been baking tons so be prepared to see most dessert post! I hope everyone is enjoying big hearty autumn meals like we are. Happy cruelty free cooking:)

Recipe

MAKES 12

1 1/2 cups white unbleached flour

2/3 cup of turbinado sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash of cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup of coconut oil

1 1/4 cup almond milk

1 organic navel orange (1/4 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice)

Steps
Preheat oven to 350 F and oil a cupcake/muffin pan.
In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients and stir them together with a fork well.
Create a well in the middle and begin to add wet ingredients. While stirring, start with the oil then milk and fresh squeezed orange juice last. I cut my orange in half and squeezed a 1/4 cup of juice out of it. Mix your vanilla in with that and add to mixture. Everything should be pretty well mixed by now. Make sure all the lumps are out! It should be a little runny so if its not, add some more almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time. Grate some of your orange skin over the top of the mix and stir one last time. Using a large spoon, scoop out enough cupcake mix to fill your cupcake pan about 2/3 of the way full.

Use the other half of your orange and shave off some skin (using a grater) for the top of the cupcakes. Then squeeze whatever remaining juice you can get out of it over your cupcakes. Pop in the oven! Bake for 15-20 mins.

These are so soft and fluffy. Squeezing the orange juice over top really boosts the

 flavour and also makes the tops look neat! I hope everyone enjoys :)

Happy baking!