Vegan Halloween Cupcakes

This recipe can be made anytime of year, but with some orange piping gel and some black pipe cleaners, you instantly have fun Halloween vegan cupcakes! Decorate these with kids, you’ll have a blast.

You will Need:

• 3 Cups Flour
• 2 Cups Unrefined Sugar (Beet is good, or use your favorite natural sweetener)
• 6 Tbs. Cocoa Powder (best quality possible)
• 2 Tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• 1 Cup Water
• 1 Cup Unsweetened Soy Milk (Almond or Rice work well, too!)
• 3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 Ener-G ‘Eggs’ (or Flax ‘Eggs’)
• 2 Tsp. Pure Vanilla or Almond Extract

Directions:

1. First step is to pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Now we start the batter. This is a very simple dry/wet method. Mix up all the dry ingredients into one bowl and do the same to the wet in another. Blend them together with a mixer for about 3 minutes. Batter is done when smooth.

2. Get out your cupcake pan and just oil the top (so that if the cakes bake over the cups, they won’t stick.) Fill the cup liners about 2/3 the way full. You can fill them more or less depending on how big you like your cupcakes. Place in oven and let bake about 20 minutes. Cakes are done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
3. Let them completely cool before you go crazy decorating. This is where I can no longer help you, you must rely on *gasp* your own creativity to do this, my young padawans. Here is what I will tell you, you can never go wrong with lots of different natural food colorings mixed into vanilla vegan icing . Black pipe cleaners (for spider legs), crumbled up chocolate graham crackers (for dirt) or vegan chocolate chips (for eyes, etc). Below is a quick recipe for vegan vanilla frosting.

You will Need:

• 1/2 Cup Non-Dairy or Soy Margarine (Softened)
• 1/4 Cup Soy Milk (Rice or Almond)
• 3 Cups Powdered Sugar (Run your sugar of choice through a food processor with a little cornstarch)
• 1 1/2 Tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

It’s best to use an electric mixer (or one of those fancy stand mixers). In a large bowl, cream the margarine and soy milk together. Add about 2 cups of the sugar and continue to whip. When smooth, add the extract and the rest of the sugar. Mix until fluffy.

Vegan Chocolate Almond Marble Cake

Can you say decadent? This Dense, moist, gently sweetened vegan marble cake will leave you pleasantly satisfied and yet not at all ‘chocolated out’! With a marbled, slightly crunchy ‘butter cream’ frosting in the center, you’ll love this. It’s perfect to serve after a light meal with hot tea by it’s side. Recommended for all occasions.

• Serves: 4
• Prep time : 15 minutes
• Bake time : 50-60 minutes

You will need:

• 2 Cups Flour.
• 2 Tbs. Ener-G Egg Replacer.
• 2 Tbs. Baking Soda.
• 1/4 Cup Sugar*
• 4 Tbs. “Butter” (Melted).
• 1 1/2 Cups Almond Milk.
• 1 Tsp. Almond Extract.
• 1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder (Unsweetened).
• 1/2 Tsp. Salt.

For the Frosting:

• 1 Stick or 8 Tbs. “Butter” (Room temperature).
• 4 Tbs. Sugar*
• 1 Tsp. Almond Extract.
• 2 Tbs. Cocoa Powder.

*Let’s talk about Sugar. What kind do you use? Many Vegans choose not to use regular, table sugar do to processing through char, as the charcoal could be animal derived. Some Vegans feel that while it is animal, it does not create demand and it is not cruelty and therefore eat it anyway. What this recipe calls for is the sugar you use.

I recommend granulated natural sweetener or organically-grown unbleached sugar or, if nothing else, at least pure beet sugar.

Instructions:

1. First step is always to pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees. I know it sounds low, but this is a dense and moist cake, so it needs a low and slow bake. Prepare 2 8×8 glass dishes (any shape you like. I use square). You prepare them by oiling the bottoms and side very well. Sit them aside and start the batter.
2. Start with the Almond part of the batter. Sift 2 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl. Add Ener-G, Baking Soda, Salt and Sugar, and sift again. Now add the wet ingredients. Pour in the almond milk, extract and melted butter. Mix well. If the batter is a little thick (meaning if it doesn’t pour), add a little more Almond Milk and a Tsp. more extract. Mix well, but don’t go crazy, you don’t want the cake to be chewy.


step 2

3. Pour half the batter into another bowl. Now it’s time to add the Cocoa powder. Mix it in really well, until you have achieved chocolaty greatness.


step 3

4. This step is a little hard. Not so much hard as tricky. Take the prepared pans and split the almond evenly between them. Spread the batter out so it reaches the sides. Now take the chocolate batter and do that same. Split them evenly between the pans. Pour it right in the center. When the batter is divided (and after batter you’re done licking the bowls), take a small fork and, starting in the middle, begin to drag the batter around, swirl the almond into the chocolate and the other way around until you achieve the picture below. (If you are having a hard time swirling, it may be because the batter is to thick, sometimes trial and error is the only way to get it right.)


step 4

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes. Depending the batter thickness. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Let cool for 20 minutes. While it’s cooling, lets make up the frosting. Now I say it’s kinda crunchy because I don’t powder the “sugar” that I use. I like that slightly grainy texture. It’s up to you. Take a stick (or 8 Tbs.) of room temperature butter and whip together with the sugar and almond extract. Separate half into one bowl and add the cocoa powder to the other half. Mix well.


there you go!

7. When the cake is cool, remove one and lay it marble side down on a plate. Frost the top with the almond frosting fist, then the chocolate on top. Swirl them around a bit before adding the second cake, marble side up. Cut into four even pieces and enjoy with a glass of Almond Milk or a cup of Herbal Tea.