Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes - Vegan

By mariannefeldman

Adapted from The Artful Cupcake by Marcianne Miller

OPT: use chopped high end chocolate instead of choc chips

make sure any choc used is vegan

Ingredients

• Added (not in original recipe):
• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (used Ghirardelli, Callebaut)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk (used Kirkland vanilla soy with 1 tbs white vinegar
• Almond Breeze sweetened vanilla also works well
• ( or regular milk with 1 tbs white vinegar) to equal 1 cup
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• scant 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• chocolate chips - 1/2 - 3/4 cup
• Opt: pinch instant coffee
• Glaze: Dipping Fondant from The A
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 5 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• Dark chocolate frosting: from Martha Stewart
• 1 pound semi sweet chocolate, chopped
• 6 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted margarine, room temp
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• pinch salt
• Chocolate Buttercream - from Cooks Illustrated - Easy vanilla buttercream -Used for Michelle & Greg's party: frosts 16 cupcakes
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (use margarine for vegan)
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• pinch table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 ounces chocolate, semi sweet or bittersweet, melted & cooled
• unsweetened cocoa powder - to taste
• Vegan Fluffy Buttercream From Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World-see individual listing for this for adjusted recipe
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (sifted if lumpy)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup plain soy milk or creamer
• Beat the shortening & margarine together until well combined & fluffy. Add sugar & beat for about 3 m ore minutes
• 3 about 3 more minutes. Add the vanilla & soy milk, beat for another 5 -7 minutes til fluffy.
• Choc & coconut variations:
• For choc variation:
• 6 oz melted unsweetened choc
• 2 tbs milk
• unsweetened cocoa powder, if desired
• OPT: chopped choc pieces
• OPT: top frosted cake w/sliced toasted almonds
• for coconut variation:
• add 2 1/4 tsp coconut extract to frosting
• Top finished cake w/shredded coconut, coconut curls, sweetened & toasted if desired

Details

Servings 24

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350
Grease pan, line w/parchment, grease parchment. (or grease & flour pan)

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, mix in cocoa powder, sugar & coffee powder til well blended

Add buttermilk, oil, vanilla & applesauce & beat til smooth; add choc chips

Bake mini cupcakes about 10 mins; regular cupcakes 15 - 20 mins

Yield: 24 mini cupcakes-using my red silicone pans (Using medium cookie scoop) & 1 regular size -sticks & turn out dry- do not use;
metal mini pans-24 plus 8 regular cupcakes or 6 mini bundt cakes or
12 regular cupcakes (using large cookie scoop)-22 mins

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Option: Dipping fondant:

Bring water & corn syrup to boil, remove from heat & stir in sugar til smooth; stir in vanilla

Stir in additional hot water til consistency of warm honey

Leave half of glaze white, add chocolate pieces to other half & keep over hot water while mixing to proper consistency

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Option: Dark Choc frosting

Put choc over heatproof bowl over simmering water, turn off heat, stir occasionally til melted

Cool choc to room temp; Combine cocoa powder & boiling water in small bowl, stir to dissolve

In mixer: beat butter, confectioners sugar & salt til fluffy add melted choc til combined, beat in cocoa mixture

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Chocolate Buttercream: used for Michelle & Greg's marriage party

Beat butter on high til smooth, about 20 sec

add confect sugar, beat til most sugar is moistened, about 45 sec

scrape down & mix til combined

add extract, beat 10 sec, add unsweetened cocoa to taste

beat at med high for 4 mins til light & fluffy
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Variations on Fluffy Vegan Frosting:

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For choc variation: Add melted choc with vanilla & milk, adding additional 1 tbs milk; add unsweetened cocoa powder to taste if desired.
Opt: add chopped choc pieces to frosting or sprinkle over finished cake.
Opt: Sprinkle finished cake with sliced toasted almonds.
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For coconut variation:
Top with combination of sweetened & unsweetened shredded coconut & coconut curls, toasted first if desired; also put coconut curls into filling for texture & more interest


Yield: 6 cups