a little veganization

You'd think that with the rise in popularity of vegan diets, people would know by now how to pronounce the word.

But no, I still get requests for vay-gan cakes and vej-an pies. That's okay though--at least these folks are trying to be accommodating to the needs of their friends and family.

I totally respect vegans, whether it's a philosophical choice or out of nutritional necessity. I'm fortunate enough to have no such dietary or conscientious restrictions, but there's certainly no reason why vegans shouldn't enjoy a cupcake just like the rest of us.

Honestly, I was skeptical when I came across the recipes upon which these cupcakes are based. I can see past using vegetable oil in place of butter and soy milk instead of cow's milk, but what about eggs? Those little ellipsoids have so many functions!

I'm here to testify that those ingredients are not missed in these cupcakes, especially the chocolate ones. The chocolate flavor shines and the texture is surprisingly light and springy. The frosting, while a little bit weird if, like me, you're used to butter in your buttercream, is smooth and decadent.

The vanilla cupcakes, while still tasty, were not as much of a triumph. They had an odd flavor that I couldn't quite identify, but again, the texture was pleasant and unexpectedly fluffy. The story was the same with the frosting--the shortening contributes to an interesting mouthfeel that isn't offensive but is definitely different from a traditional version.

All in all, I'd say these vegan cupcakes would satisfy any person who consumed them. The next time you have to make dessert for a crowd, do your vegan friends a favor and make something they can enjoy too!

Veganized Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 12
Ingredients:
Cake:

• 1-1/2 cups cake flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 cups water

Frosting:

• 2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened plain soy milk, plus more, if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, first preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together oil, vinegar, vanilla and water until well combined. Add flour mixture to the mixer and mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Don't be alarmed that the batter is more watery than normal cake batters. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each cup 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of 1 of the cupcakes comes out clean, making sure to rotate the pan halfway through cooking. Immediately remove cupcakes from muffin tin and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the powdered sugar, shortening, soy milk, extract, and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, then reduce the speed to low. Add the chocolate and beat until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more. If the frosting is dry, add more soy milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks.

Veganized Vanilla Cupcakes
Makes about 16
Ingredients:
Cake:

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened plain soy milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-3 tablespoons unsweetened plain soy milk

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, first preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cupcake pans with 16 cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until just combined. Do not over mix. Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full with batter. Bake standard sized cupcakes for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean with a few crumbs clinging to it. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the vegetable shortening until smooth. With the mixer running on low, add powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon soy milk at a time, as needed, until frosting reaches the proper consistency. Beat on high for another 2 minutes until light and fluffy.