S'mores Cupcakes {vegan}

Pardon the delay in the post; but it came to be that time of year where I go through the process of moving. Thankfully, I'm in a great new place in Brooklyn, this time, complete with countertops. At any rate, a few weeks ago, some friends and I developed a "cake-off" themed party. Battling for the title of best cupcake, complete with a chart for rating cakes based on both taste and appearance, some great contenders were brought to the table. The cupcakes shown above happen to be the winner, and I'm rather proud to say, even received a rating of 100 (even though the scale was from 1-10). Thanks to you who boosted my ego. :)

{VEGAN}

S'MORES CUPCAKES WITH VEGAN MARSHMALLOW BUTTERCREAM

RECIPE BASED ON S'MORES CUPCAKES FROM "VEGAN CUPCAKES TAKE OVER THE WORLD"

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. canola oil

2 tbsp. molasses

1/4 c. soy yogurt

1 1/4 c. soy milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

GANACHE

3 Tbsp. soy creamer

1/3 c. dark chocolate chips

VEGAN MARSHAMALLOW BUTTERCREAM

1/2 c. vegan margarine

1/2 c. vegan shortening

1 jar vegan marshmallow creme

1 c. confectioner's sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Mix the brown sugar, oil, molasses, yogurt, soy milk, and vanilla in a large bowl.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a separate bowl and mix. Add the graham cracker crumbs and mix it up. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three batches, mixing well after each addition. Fill cupcake liners full. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before decorating.

Ganache: Simmer soy creamer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Set aside and cool for 10 minutes.

Buttercream: Beat margarine and shortening in mixer bowl on high speed until creamy. Beat in marshmallow creme. reduce speed and beat in confectioner's sugar and vanilla. Increase speed to high, beat until fluffy.

Assembly:

Spread a layer of chocolate ganache onto cooled cupcakes. Pipe top with buttercream. Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs, cocoa, or chocolate shavings, or just garnish with a graham cracker piece and chocolate chunk.

Sugar Cookies {vegan+gluten free}

Someone decided that the dark lull of winter should be interrupted by a celebratory day of love. Though I'm generally not a huge fan of Valentine's day, I can see a redeeming quality in the fact that it provides an excuse to eat treats. I have fond memories of childhood parties; classrooms decorated with cut-out paper hearts and shoeboxes covered in stickers and decorations for valentines to be placed into by classmates. Outside of the pink snowball cakes that my mother used to pack in our lunches (accompanied by a napkin, undoubtedly with the words "I love you! xoxo mom!" scribbled on it), I always remember eating pink iced sugar cookies. The cookies picture above are a gluten-free vegan version, made with powdered sugar for a delicate crumb. I put a small amount of rosewater into the icing for a slightly floral scent as well, and made my own colored sugars to place on top. A hit with the coworkers, despite the fact that the cardboard cupids were absent from the office walls.

Maple Molasses Apple Pie with Cardamom Oat Crumble {Vegan+Gluten Free}

On Sunday, January 23rd, the annual Brooklyn Pie Contest was held at The Bedford in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The proceeds from this pie contest went to benefit Growing Chefs, a non-profit organization that promotes food education from "field to fork." The first 50 pies in the door would be judged (by people from Momofuku Milk bar amongst others). Pies after the first 50 received free entry and were immediately devoured by the massive crowd. One winner was to be chosen from each of two categories: sweet and savory.

I wanted to take a modern twist on a classic (and because I lacked the proper amount of time) so I made an apple pie with a cardamom oat crumble top. Laced with maple syrup and molasses, the softened fruit in the deep-dish interior contrasted nicely with the crisp and crumbly top.

Unfortunately, though my pie made it into the judging, it wasn't crowned the winning pie. Ah, well, there's always next year!

(recipe to come)

Mexican Chocolate Brownies {Vegan+Gluten Free}

Vegan brownies have been a struggle for me. Making gluten-free brownies had never been a problem in the past, in fact, it was one of the easiest recipes I had ever translated. However, with the absence of eggs, my gluten-free/vegan brownies have always ended up too flat, too sticky, or too fluffy. Seven recipe developments later (and yes, I did strictly follow some vegan recipes, which failed to satisfy) I came up with the following recipe. Finally: the perfect blend of rich chocolate cakey-ness and fudginess.

{GLUTEN-FREE/VEGAN}

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

1/2 c. vegan stick margarine, melted

1-1/2 c. sugar

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. gluten-free flour (1/4 c. tapioca starch, 1/4 c. potato starch, 1/4 c. white rice flour)

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 c. extra firm silken tofu, blended until smooth in a food processor

2/3 c. quality cocoa powder (I use ghirardelli or scharffen berger)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. xanthan gum

1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (depending on your taste)

1/4 tsp. ancho chile powder

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 c. vegan chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease (or line with parchment paper) an 8 inch square baking pan.

Combine margarine, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Add tofu and beat well with a whisk. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, cayenne, chili powder, and cinnamon and gradually add to wet ingredients, mixing until well blended. Add chocolate chunks and mix until just combined. Spread batter evenly into pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool completely and enjoy!

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes {vegan+gluten free}

An "ugly sweater party" (though I might note, there were hardly any ugly sweaters present...) prompted the creation of these cupcakes. Simple, dark chocolate is blended with subtle notes of peppermint, all adorned with a cap of vegan vanilla-peppermint buttercream. The cake is fluffy and moist, balanced by a not-too-sweet frosting. These pleased both vegans (with rave reviews) and non-vegans alike. Irving Berlin may have been dreaming of a white Christmas, but I'm dreaming of a red, white, and chocolate Christmas. (That's right...I used a cheesy White Christmas reference. Rent it. Or buy it. And watch. It. And then make some cupcakes).

[insert recipe here] <----I'm too tired. I'll do this part tomorrow.

Gingerbread Cupcakes {Vegan+Gluten Free}

The weather has turned, the sweaters have been donned, the halls have been decked: The holiday season is here. In honor of the season of giving, I only found it fitting to spend a bit of my time on Tuesday baking treats for my much-deserved office mates. Visions of gingerbread were dancing in my head as I thought about cupcakes and rich, creamy frosting. I had a vegan gingerbread cupcake recipe, but I didn't love the idea of a citrus frosting with which the author intended it to be paired with. The recipe was also far from being gluten-free. A bit of experimenting later, I came out with these moist yet fluffy cupcakes that were all but devoured by everyone in the office. A hit!

{Vegan+Gluten Free}

GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES WITH "EGGNOG" FROSTING

(Recipe adapted from Gingerbread Cupcakes in "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World")

CAKES:

1 1/4 c. Gluten-free flour (I used a combination of tapioca starch, corn starch, potato starch, white rice flour and Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Baking Blend)

3/4 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. molasses

1/2 c. maple syrup

1/4 c. soy milk

2 tbsp. tofu sour cream

1 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1/4 c. finely chopped crystallized ginger

FROSTING:

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. margarine

3 1/2 c. confectioner's sugar, sifted

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. nutmeg (try adding more spices if you deem necessary - I didn't really measure mine).

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 soy creamer

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.

Sift the flours, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt into a bowl.

Whisk the oil, molasses, maple syrup, soy milk, sour cream, and lemon zest in separate large bowl. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just smooth. Fold in the crystallized ginger.

Fill cupcake liners two thirds full. Bake 19-22 minutes, until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

Prepare frosting:

Beat the shortening and margarine until fluffy. Add sugar and spices and beat for about three minutes. Add the vanilla and soy creamer and beat another 5-7 minutes until fluffy.

Garnished with slices of crystallized ginger, if desired.

Pumpkin Pie {Vegan + Gluten Free}

We had a Thanksgiving Potluck at Pearlfisher (the design studio for whom I work) today, at which my chosen dish-to-pass was dessert. In keeping with true American Thanksgiving spirit, I needed to make a pumpkin pie. (I also made an apple pie...which will be posted shortly). I wanted to make both pies gluten-free and vegan, while remaining appealing to the masses. I was pleased with the gluten-free pie crusts I had made in the past, however, I often wondered if they could be made more flaky and less crumbly/cookie like. Success was achieved with the recipe I will post when it's not an ungodly hour...