Recipes

prep:

1. if you use real vanilla beans, simmer a bean in warm water and slice it open to scrape into the wet ingredients.

2. preheat the oven to 350F and spray your cupcake liners with oil. i use olive oil in an atomizer and you never notice the flavor.

batter:

1. mix soy milk and vinegar. let it sit about 5 minutes to curdle.

2. mix the remaining wet ingredients with the soymilk and vinegar until they are slightly foamy.

3. sift the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.

4. add the dry to the wet

5. mix til it's almost lump-fee. it doesn't have to be perfect.

6. spoon the batter into your liners til they are 2/3 to 3/4 full

7. bake. 10 minutes for minis, about 15 for regular cupcakes.

hints:

-always check with a skewer or knife to come out clean before removing them. your oven may be different than mine.

-turn the heat up a little higher in the beginning and the cupcake will have more of a peak

-do not bake minis with regular size cupcakes because the necessary cooking times are different and the more you open the oven, the more you change the temperature

-don't overfill the cupcake liners or you'll have muffin tops and it may stick to the pan/tear apart.

-oil or flour substitutions change the texture and cooking time of the cupcakes, so use the oven light if you have one to peak in!

ganache:

use a double boiler or a pot topped with a heat-proof bowl and slowly melt/mix the ingredients to a nice smooth thick but drippy texture.

after the cupcakes cool, i spoon a little on top of the cupcake. i do this cause i like a little rim of cake to show, but you can also hold your cupcake upside down and "dip" it in the ganache and twist as you remove it to prevent drips. it's totally an artistic choice, so have at it. if i have it, i love to top them with a little tepee of sliced almonds.

this cupcake is also good with cream cheese icing.