Chocolate Mint Vegan Cupcakes

Photo: Helen Pitlick

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

1 cup soy milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon mint extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

cup cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting:

1/4 cup nonhydrogenated shortening

3 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon soy creamer or soy milk

1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

green food coloring

Ganache:

3 tablespoons soy creamer or soy milk

cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla and mint extracts to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift 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.

Pour into liners, filling three-quarters of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely.

Cream the shortening for a few seconds to soften it. It's easier to do this with a fork than a handheld mixer.

Add 1 cup powdered sugar and a splash (tablespoon or so) of soy creamer and mix to incorporate. Alternately add sugar and creamer, mixing after each addition, until all the ingredients are used and the icing is smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and mint extracts and coloring; mix to incorporate.

When the cupcakes have fully cooled, fill a pastry bag with a #21 star tip with mint icing. Pipe the icing onto the cupcake in spiral form outside in, leaving a little room on the sides for the cupcake to show through. Let the icing set while you prepare the ganache.

Heat soy creamer in a small saucepan over medium heat till just about to simmer. Remove from heat; add chocolate chips and stir till chocolate is completely melted and creamer is incorporated. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature, stirring once in a while to keep it smooth. Use a tablespoon to dollop ganache on top of cupcakes. Decorate immediately with: a mint Newman-O, a chocolate candy lentil, a rose of mint icing, a spearmint gumdrop or a sprig of fresh mint.

Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes to let the ganache set before serving.