Taste of YSN Entry #1 (Vegan Chocolate Cookies n’ Cream Cupcakes)

It’s hard for cupcakes, vegan or not, to compete in a contest against really rich, decadent dishes. These didn’t win, but everyone who tried them liked them, and everyone thought they were adorable. There were a few left over, so I brought them over to the school and put them in the kitchen area. They didn’t last long after class this morning!

Vegan Chocolate Cookies n’ Cream Cupcakes

Adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romano

Did you know that regular Oreos are vegan? It’s true, in the US right now. I prefer to use the Newman’s Organics variety for a number of reasons, but as on the writing of this recipe, Nabisco Oreos sold in the US jut happen to be vegan.

Some people might wonder what you have to do to replace eggs in a baked goods recipe- the answer is, sometimes eggs are just superfluous. The gluten content of the flour combined with the wet ingredients is absolutely sufficient to bind the batter and produce a fine crumb. You could also substitute whole wheat pastry flour for half of the unbleached flour this calls for; adjustments would need to be made and the texture would probably be altered if you were to use other types of flour.

Some pieces of advice: get yourself an oven thermometer. Chances are, whet you set your oven to is not the temperature that you’re actually getting. Oven thermometers are inexpensive and when used will greatly improve the quality of your baked goods. Make sure you preheat the oven and prepare your cupcake liners before you start, or at least before you mix the wet and dry ingredients. Also, don’t open the oven while the cupcakes are baking. They may fall slightly if you do. And last, frosting warm cupcakes is the work of fools! Let them cool, or don’t say I didn’t warn you! And when you’re cooling them, take them out of your pan and place them on a cooking rack for best results.

Makes 12 Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350F.

Ingredients

1 Cup soymilk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 Cup coarsely chopped vegan chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies, such as Newman-O’s (4-5 cookies)

Whisk together the soymilk and vinegar in a large bowl; set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla and almond extracts and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl with a clean and dry whisk, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat until no large lumps remain. Gently fold in the chopped cookies. Fill 12 cupcake liners (in the pan) evenly with the batter.

Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pan to a cooling rack. Frost when cooled with following recipe.

1/4 cup vegan margarine
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted if clumpy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons plain soymilk
1/4 cup finely ground chocolate cookie crumbs
6 vegan chocolate cream-filled sandwich cooked, cut in half

Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes. Add the vanilla and soymilk, beat for 5-7 minutes until fluffy. Gently fold in with a rubber spatula the ground cookie crumbs. Pile frosting on cupcakes generously; top each cupcake with 1/2 of a cookie.

Eat, enjoy, and be happy that you have made some of the best cupcakes you’ll ever eat!