Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (22 page)

FLUFFY. CHOCOLATY. BUTTERCREAMY. Spread or pipe on chocolate or vanilla cupcakes for birthday cupcake perfection.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup margarine, softened
¼ cup shortening
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
(sifted ifthere are clumps)
2½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons soymilk
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Cream together the margarine and the shortening until well combined. Add the cocoa powder and incorporate well. Add the confectioners sugar in about ½ cup batches and beat well, adding a little splash of soymilk after each addition. When all ingredients have been well incorporated, add the vanilla and beat until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes with a hand mixer, 7 minutes if mixing with a fork).

Variations:

Add a teaspoon of coffee extract for mocha buttercream.

A VERY THICK glaze with a bold, caramel-like flavor, this is an interesting way to use brown rice syrup in desserts. The intense flavor goes perfectly with spice or any strongly flavored cupcake, and is also the basis for our DULCE SIN LECHE CUPCAKES (page 93). The texture of this glaze is very sticky at first but it will set up nicely after an hour, or pop finished cupcakes in the fridge to speed it up.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

½ cup full-fat soy milk
¼ cup soy milk powder
1 tablespoon arrowroot
½ cup brown rice syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together soy milk, soy milk powder, and arrowroot. Stir constantly over medium heat till arrowroot is cooked and mixture starts to thicken, about 4 minutes. Stir in brown rice syrup, turn up heat to medium high and bring to a gentle boil, then bring heat back down so mixture is at a low simmer, all the while stirring constantly. Cook till mixture is thick and slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Sauce will have a thick consistency, like cake batter. Whisk in vanilla and remove from heat.

2. Allow to cool 10 minutes before spreading on warm cupcakes.

A CLASSIC AND
simple-to-make cooked icing. Atop YOUR BASIC CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES (page 37) they’ll become German chocolate cupcakes. Try spread on any vanilla cupcake variation, too, or make GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES (page 53) extra awesome with this topping.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup rice milk
2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
Scant pinch of salt
¾ cup coconut milk
1 cup brown sugar
1½ cups shredded unsweetened coconut
½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon whiskey or bourbon,
optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk rice milk, arrowroot, and salt in a small bowl or measuring cup. In a large stainless-steel saucepan over medium heat, stir together coconut milk and brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, till mixture starts to boil. Turn heat down to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes. Whisk rice milk mixture once more and slowly pour into the coconut milk mixture, stirring constantly to incorporate.

2. Stir mixture continuously till it darkens again, gets very thick and smooth, and arrowroot is cooked, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and beat in vanilla and whiskey, chopped pecans, and coconut. Stir till everything is coated and completely combined. Cool to room temperature before frosting cupcakes.

Your Basic Chocolate Cupcake with Coconut Pecan Fudge Frosting

WE’VE LONG BEEN on a quest for a cupcake topping that’s a departure from the usual margarine /shortening/sugar route. Not that those don’t have a special place in our hearts, but here’s an excuse to use agave nectar the way nature intended (sort of).

This icing isn’t haunted and it can’t read your mind... it’s just sweetened naturally with agave nectar and gets its smooth, rich texture from nonhydrogenated coconut oil (sometimes called coconut butter) instead of more refined fats. It’s also rather sensitive to heat, so be sure that cupcakes are completely cool before frosting and store iced cupcakes in the fridge until ready to serve.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup plain soy or rice milk
1 tablespoon arrowroot
Pinch of salt (scant 1/8 teaspoon)
1/3 cup light agave nectar
1/3 cup refined, nonhydrogenated
coconut oil
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons plain soy milk
powder

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small saucepan whisk together rice milk, arrowroot, and salt till dissolved. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, till mixture thickens into a puddinglike consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and scrape mixture into a medium-size bowl with a heatproof spatula.

2. Add agave nectar and whisk till combined, then add coconut oil and vanilla extract and whisk again. Add soy milk powder and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for 4 to 5 minutes, until creamy and smooth. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 40 minutes until mixture is firm, or for best results, allow to chill overnight.

Variations:

Add an additional 1 teaspoon of the following extracts: lemon, strawberry, banana, almond, orange.

COCONUT AGAVE NECTAR ICING:
To chilled icing, fold in ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut. Try making this with unrefined coconut oil for maximum coconut effect!