vegan chocolate cuppies

I made these cupcakes for a potluck, vegan-friendly Supper Club. The Club meets once a month, rotating hosts, and founded by my uber-fabulous former next-door neighbors. As one who has a butter-bias (as in, pro-butter) when baking, I found these to be pretty dang yummy, so I thought I would share.

I found a vegan cake recipe HERE, which I simply made into cupcakes (I also used less water). Then I made my standard buttercream frosting, but with a vegan butter substitute. I tinted the buttercream with just a few drops of food coloring, too. (I use Americolor soft gel pastes because they color frosting beautifully and are utterly tasteless.)


vegan cupcakes (adapted from the recipe found at boutell.com)
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar (click on the boutell link above to learn more about vegan-friendly sugar)
6 Tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups cold water
frosting (see below)

Mix all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and blend well. If your batter is excessively runny, add another 1/2 cup of flour. Pour into cupcake pans fitted with liners (makes about 20). Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes (may need more time) or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. When cool, frost. Serve or keep in refrigerator if baked the day before serving (this isn't necessary, but I like to chill them.)

Vegan Frosting
1 stick of vegan margarine
1 pound or more of confectioner's sugar (tip: a box is 1 pound, but I buy the 2 pound bag instead of the box so I have more)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons or more of soy milk

I have vague amounts because I just make the frosting to taste. Blend 1 pound (or about 3 cups, or 1 box) of confectioner's sugar with the butter. Add vanilla and soy milk and blend. Add more sugar and milk until the desired consistency and taste is achieved. If desired, add coloring.

Update for Jeanette (see comment below asking about how to decorate):
Thanks Jeanette! I used a star tip, and I can't find it to see exactly the size (I'll hunt, but in the meantime, it looks like this tip from Wilton, it wasn't too huge, maybe size 15 or so?). Then, I just sort of squeezed some in the middle (so that it had a better cone shape and didn't sink in the center), then moved to the outside and went in a circle up to the tippy top. After so many years decorating cookies, those muscles in my hand are pretty developed (the ONLY muscles I have that are) so I guess it allows for a steady hand, but that is key. You want constant, steady, not-too-slow, not-too-fast pressure. Hope that helps!!