Vegan Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

Hi Guys, Amy here!

If you have a sweet tooth, but haven't yet encountered the book 'Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World' by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero, now's the time to introduce yourself. I don't think I've ever been so excited about a cookbook. I have borrowed this recipe from the book, just to give you a taste test.

An unfortunate side effect of veganism can be a very serious condition called Cake Deprivation. Jo suffers from this, and so does my darling Conrad. It is caused by going to your average cafe, and staring longingly into the cake cabinet - only to realise that there's nothing in there that fits into your lifestyle. Take heart, friends! There is a cure, and it's listed below. Prepare to directions, then administer generously as required.

Stuff cafe cake, you can do it better!

I baked the cupcakes, left them to cool completely, then iced with Rich Ganache Chocolate Topping. I put them in the fridge for a while so the ganache could set, then piped on the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting. Some got a cherry on top, others were graced with a chocolate - covered coffee bean.

Basic Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup soy milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup granulated sugar (I used fine raw sugar)

1/3 cup canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup plain flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda (bicarb if you're Aussie)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
• Whisk together soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract, to the soy milk mixture and beat till foamy.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredient and beat till no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are okay).
• Pour into liners, filling three quarters of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Rich Chocolate Ganache Topping

1/4 cup soy milk

1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate (I used Whittakers Dark)

2 tablespoons maple syrup

• Bring the soy milk to a gentle boil in a small saucepan. Immediately remove from the heat and add the chocolate and maple syrup. Use a wooden spoon to mix the chocolate until it is fully melted and smooth. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, softened (eg. Nuttelex)

1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened (eg. Tofutti)

2 cups icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Cream together margarine and cream cheese until just combined.
• Use a handheld mixer to whip while adding the icing sugar in 1/2 cup batches. (May get a bit messy, use a bowl with high sides).
• Mix until smooth and creamy, then mix in the vanilla. Keep covered and refrigerated until ready to use.
• This is a great icing for piping, it holds shape really well.