Recipe: Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting [The Cupcake Adventures]

I'm posting this recipe REALLY late, but these are the little beauties that everyone loved at Felicity's first birthday party, now almost two months ago. I also made these in Minnesota for our little New Years day party. My father, who adores carrot cake above all other cakes, really loved them. Carrot cake may also be my favorite form of cake... yum, yum, yum.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

I prefer to make my carrot cake cupcakes in the miniature form, but that's up to you. If you want to bake regularly sized cupcakes, keep them in for 25-28 minutes. This makes about 30 mini cupcakes or 10 regularly sized cupcakes.

Ingredients
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (can be replaced with all-purpose flour if you don't have this)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
2/3 cup evaporated can sugar or sucunat
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup vanilla soy or coconut yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup grated carrots
1/4 chopped walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line mini-muffin tin with liners.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix sugar, vegetable oil, yogurt, and vanilla. Sift in the the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices, and mix until smooth. Fold in carrots, walnuts, raisins, and coconut.

Spray the cupcake liners with nonstick baking spray and fill into about until about two-thirds full. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until a toothpick inserted through the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Cool thoroughly and pipe on cheese cream frosting (recipe below).


Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

Ingredients
2 tablespoons Earth Balance Buttery Spread, room temperature
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

Directions
Cream together margarine, coconut oil, and cream cheese until just combined. Use a handheld mixer to whip while adding the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup batches, then add vanilla. Mix until smooth and creamy, for 2-3 minutes. Chill until you're ready to use.

Recipe: Cookie Butter Cookies!

Photo from Trader Joes

I win the love and affection of my neighbors by baking constantly and then shoving my baked goods at them. This does good things for me: our elderly next-door neighbor leaves us the NY Times crossword every morning in exchange for whatever chocolate goodies I bake up, and our neighbors across the hall rave about whatever I make send their way, which feeds my enlarged baking ego. It's a win all around.

Ian and I bundled the baby up this afternoon and took the train down to our local Trader Joe's to shop for the week. Someone had actually stacked jars of peanut butter in front of the TJ's cookie butter, but I was a dedicated (if not obsessive) hunter, and uncovered a precious jar so I could make some cookie butter cookies. (And, let's be honest, eat this stuff straight from the jar).

I know it sounds counter-intuitive. After all, isn't cookie butter made from... cookies? Yes, it is, so yes, these cookies are... cookie flavored. But I've been obsessed with making these cookies after uncovering a vegan cookies list on Food52 a few nights ago (which for the life of me, I cannot find to link to this evening, my apologies).

[Please note the gorgeous picture below isn't, mine. I did actually take pictures of my cookies, but of course cannot find my adapter to connect the camera to my computer]

Photo from http://havecakewilltravel.com/2009/10/13/tripping-over-speculoos/

They are AMAZING, best served about 5 minutes out of the oven, when they're still soft and gooey.

Cookie Butter Cookies

Adapted from Have Cake, Will Travel

Makes approximately 24 cookies.
If you want a much crunchier cookie, reduce the soy/almond milk to 3-4 tablespoons.

Ingredients

2/3 cup Trader Joe's Speculoos Cookie Butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 Tbsp unsweetened soy/almond milk

Directions

Heat over to 350°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the cookie butter, both sugars, the salt and cinnamon in a large bowl until well combined. You may need to use your hands to get it smooth.

Sift the flour and baking soda over the cookie butter mixture, and combine. Again, you may have to use your hands here.

Add half the soy milk (3 Tbsp) and combine, then add the rest. The cookie dough will be thick. If it is still crumbling a little bit, add another tablespoon of your milk substitute.

Roll cookies into balls, about 1-inch in diameter (roughly a rounded tablespoon). Drop them a good 2 inches apart from each other the baking sheet. I was able to fit around eight on a cookie sheet at a time.

Bake for 10-11 minutes until the cookies have spread, cracked on top, and are starting to lightly brown.

The Cupcake Adventures [Part I]

If you know me at all, you know I'm am obnoxious baker. I'm the person that will spend all day in the kitchen, tell you I spent all day in the kitchen, linger as you take a bite of whatever I spent all day in the kitchen making, and wait for you to tell me that I am your baking goddess, and this is the best [insert whatever it is I've crammed in front of you and expected to you eat] you've ever had.

But wait, pause for a moment - vegan baking is a whole new monster. No longer can I refer to my well-loved copy of Cook's Illustrated Best Recipe Cookbook, or spend hours poring over recipe reviews on Epicurious.com to make sure I have the best possible [insert whatever it is I've crammed in front of you and expected to you eat]. I've been baking since the third grade, and I seriously feel like I'm starting from scratch.

Enter the CUPCAKES.

Felicity's first birthday is on December 1st. Being the obnoxious baker I am, I want to make cupcakes. I want to make the most amazing, delectable vegan cupcakes, like the ones from The Cupcake Station in Ann Arbor, Michigan (which can and should be held responsible for what is going on in my thighs). I want to make perfect cupcakes.

I started with Babycakes, the cookbook from the famed bakery in New York City (which I've yet to visit, because it involves one-too-many train transfers for my lazy self). Babycakes (the store) was apparently voted the #1 cupcake in NYC, despite the fact that they are vegan and gluten-free. Wow. Gotta try it, right?

I spent way too much at Whole Foods purchasing things I'd never even heard of, things like coconut flour, potato starch, and soy milk powder. My friend A., who was visiting for the weekend, and I got to work yesterday afternoon, doing the very tedious job of halving the recipe for two-dozen cupcakes in the actual cookbook. Good heavens - halving things like 1 Tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder called upon our very serious math skills, my baking conversion magnet on the fridge, and a calculator. It was intense, but A. and I were up for the challenge. It was only today I found a halved recipe online (doh!)

   Overall Grade: 6.75 (out of 10)
   Cupcake Flavor: 8.5
   Crumb: 7 at room temperature (4 when chilled, as suggested by the authors for storage)
   Frosting Flavor: 7.5
   Frosting Texture: 4

Chocolate Cupcakes

Adapted from Babycakes
Makes 10-12 cupcakes

If I was to actually serve these at a party, which I might, I would make the frosting the day before to really let it set. I would make the cupcakes about 6 hours, before the party, let them cool completely, and frost the cupcakes 30-60 minutes before the guests arrive, so that the frosting didn't melt, but the cupcakes could avoid being chilled, which really does absolutely nothing for a cupcake. If you must serve these chilled, please let them sit out for an hour or so before serving, it really does make a big difference.

Ingredients

1/2 cup + 6 Tablespoons garbanzo-fava bean flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons arrowroot
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
6 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water
Chocolate Frosting (see below)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a regular-sized muffin tin with liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and hot water until well blended, then incorporate into the dry mix until the batter is smooth.

Pour approximately 1/3 cup batter into each prepared cup, almost filling it. Bake the cupcakes for 15 minutes, then rotate the tin and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes in the tin for twenty minutes, then move to a wire rack until cooled completely. Frost and enjoy!

Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Chocolate Frosting

Adapted from Babycakes

I know the 6 hour chilling thing sounds crazy, but you really do need to wait this long, the texture is much more consistent and smooth, and the flavor is much better.

To make vanilla frosting, eliminate the cocoa powder, increase the dry soy milk powder by an additional 2 Tablespoons, and increase the coconut oil by an additional 1/4 cup.

Ingredients

3/4 cups plain soy milk
1/4 cup dry soy milk powder
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut flour
2 Tablespoons agave nectar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

In a blender, combine the soymilk, soy powder, cocoa powder, coconut flour, agave nectar, and vanilla until smooth, then blend for an additional two minutes. With the machine still running, slowly add the oil and lemon juice, alternating between the two until both are fully incorporated.

Pour the mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least six hours before using to frost the cupcakes.

Recipe: Mocha Java Cake

I requested and received a copy of Vegan Diner: Classic Comfort Food for the Body & Soul by Julie Hasson when we first returned to New York City a few weeks ago. This cookbook has some seriously yummy recipes, and we've had a whole lot of fun cooking out of it.

Ian's favorite recipe so far is the Mocha Java Cake. I made it for our breakfasts last week (it's technically in the 'Breakfast' section, so we felt justified eating this in the morning), and currently have another loaf in the oven for a potluck brunch we're attending today.

I didn't have french roast or espresso coffee, so I ground the darkest blend I had, as finely as I could. I also don't have canola or vegetable oil in the house, so both times I've made this, I've subbed 1/2 cup coconut oil, and 1/2 cup applesauce for the oil. 

Mocha Java Cake
From Vegan Diner by Julie Hasson

Ingredients
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons soymilk, heated to steaming and kept warm
1/4 cup finely ground espresso or French Roast coffee
2 tablespoons instant coffee
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons soy flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9 x 5-inch metal loaf pan with parchment paper and grease well with vegetable shortening. This cake will have a tendency to stick if not greased and lined well.

In a small bowl, whisk together the soymilk, espresso, and instant coffee until smooth. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, soy flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, mixing well.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar canola oil, and vanilla, whisking until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the bowl, alternating with the milk mixture, stirring just until mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the top of cake is puffed with a crack down the center, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and remove to a rack to cool to room temperature.
 

Recipe: Coconut Banana Scones

I love scones. There is nothing quite like a scone on a cool, stormy morning. To sit and sip tea, while eating a flaky, slightly-sweet pastry is a little blissful.

I made my first batch of vegan scones about a week ago, based on a mostly-healthy blackberry scone recipe I enjoyed awhile back. They didn't turn out great. It was probably because I wanted to experiment with not using an egg replacer (EnerG), and so replaced my eggs with applesauce and almond yogurt. The scones were too moist, and the texture was all wrong. We still ate them, of course, but it wasn't a success. I will probably try again with EnerG (sigh), who knows.

When I woke up this morning, it seemed like a good time to try again. Ian was sleeping in, so I put Felicity in the kitchen with me (to play in a box, I'm not going to lie), and got to work. I'm pretty proud of what I came up with.

Coconut Banana Scones
These scones have a nice texture with small pieces of coconut throughout. If you would like a more consistent texture, you could mix the dry ingredients in a food processor, and process in the coconut oil, and the banana mixture. You would just need to be very careful to not overmix.

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2  tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup coconut flakes (unsweetened)
1/4 cup sucanat (can be eliminated if you prefer more of lightly sweetened scone)
1/4 cup coconut oil, in solid form
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup coconut milk

Heat oven to 375F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper

Combine the flours, salt, baking powder, coconut flakes, and sugar (if using). Stir in coconut oil until mixture forms into small crumbs.

Whisk the mashed bananas and coconut milk until well blended. It is okay if your mixture has some banana chunks. Pour this into the dry mix, stirring until just blended.

Drop dough onto well-floured surface and shape into a disk about 1 inch high, 9 inches round. Slice into triangles (batter will be very loose, so this may be a little difficult), and slide them carefully onto your prepared pan.

Alternatively, you could just drop the dough onto your prepared sheet, I imagine about 1/3 cup of batter would be about right (?).

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown. Enjoy!

The Ultimate Vegan Baking Cheat-Sheet

As found on MindBodyGreen: