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 substituitions change the texture and cooking time of the cupcakes, so use the oven light if you have one to peak in!

buttercream:

1. cream the butter and extract first

2. add the sugar and mix in by hand first then beat with a mixer to prevent a dust cloud. add soy milk and more sugar for texture consistency til you think it's right.

after the cupcakes cool, i like to use the back of a spoon and just swirl it around the top of the cupcake til there's a graceful peak, but piping or spreading your frosting is totally an artistic choice, so have at it. if i have it, i love to chop candied ginger and put a little on top.