Basic Vegan Vanilla Cupcake

Today's post is for 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge', an event started by Valli @ Cooking4allSeasons. This basic vegan cupcake is my go-to recipe and I was surprised that I haven't posted it here yet. I have made these a number of times and they have never failed me. Recipe is from 'Vegan Cupcakes take over the World' by Isa Chandra & Terry Hope.

I made these recently for my son's birthday and took pictures to post them. This is a multipurpose, no-nonsense cupcake that is great to bake for birthdays, bake sales and baby showers.

Ingredients: (Makes 12 cupcakes)
All purpose Flour - 1¼cups
Cornstarch - 2tbsp
Baking Powder - ¾tsp
Baking Soda - ½tsp
Salt - ½tsp
Soy Milk - 1cup
Apple cider Vinegar - 1tsp
Canola Oil - 1/3 cup
Sugar - ¾cup
Vanilla extract - 2tsp

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
• Whisk soy milk and vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside for a few minutes to curdle.
• Beat together the soy milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla in a large bowl. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until no big lumps remain.
• Fill cupcake liners 2/3rds of the way full and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Transfer to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before frosting.

For Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: Recipe adapted from Glorious Eats. What I liked about this recipe is it uses cold cream cheese and almost cold butter that is set outside only for 10 minutes. I think room temperature cream cheese and butter get very soft and the frosting doesn't hold shape unless a lot of powdered sugar is added. So cold works best here. Also don't forget to sift the powdered sugar. It makes a world of difference -- unsifted sugar leads to lumps and not-appealing frosting.

This recipe makes more than enough frosting for 24 cupcakes, so halve the recipe if making for only 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

Cream cheese - 1 8oz. package, straight from the fridge

Butter - 1 stick, ½cup, set outside for 10 minutes

Unsweetened Cocoa powder - ½cup, sifted

Confectioners Sugar - 3~4cups, sifted

Vanilla Extract - 1tsp

Milk/ HeavyCream/ Half-n-Half/ Light cream - 1~4tbsp

Method:

• In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat butter until smooth. Next add cream cheese and beat until combined.
• Next add the sifted cocoa powder and beat until combined.
• Add vanilla extract and 3 cups of powdered sugar; beat the mixture until light and fluffy. Add milk or other liquid of choice to get the desired consistency for the frosting. 
• Use the frosting right away or refrigerate it for later use (frosting can be stored in the fridge for 2~3 days, but may need to be beaten again to get the desired consistency).

Sending these cupcakes over to Valli for her Kid's Delight Party.
Update December 2013: Sending these cupcakes over to Valli's Cake Mela.