Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

Jo was saying yesterday as we were driving to Fremantle, how she wishes there was more cake in her life. Who doesn't?!

These delicious little angels are perfect for special occasions.They taste just like the ones Mum used to make for birthday parties. But don’t let that stop you from making a batch just because!

Ingredients

200g (7/8 cup) Nuttelex dairy free margarine*
1 3/4 cups (370g) raw sugar^
1 large vanilla pod OR 2 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp Orgran No Egg Replacer
8 tbsp water
2 3/4 cups (405g) plain flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 cup (250ml) soy milk
Paper patty cases

For the frosting:
½ cup Nuttlex dairy free margarine
500g icing mixture (1 small packet)
2 tbsp soy milk
2 tsp lemon juice
Food colouring
Decorations eg. Sugar flowers, sprinkles etc.

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
• In a muffin tray, spread out patty pans.
• Mix the water and Orgran No Egg Replacer together until smooth.
• In a large mixing bowl, add raw sugar and thoroughly scrape vanilla seeds from pod into sugar (or add vanilla extract). Add Nuttelex.
• Cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer.
• In a separate bowl, mix baking powder and flour together.
• Gradually add flour and soy milk to creamed butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
• Spoon mixture into patty cases until about half full.
• Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, until cakes are lightly browned and spring back to the touch.
• Leave cakes to cool on wire rack.

Frosting and decorating:

• In a bowl, place icing mixture and Nuttelex.
• Mix in lemon juice and beat until it forms stiff frosting. Add soy milk ½ tbsp at a time, stir until you reach your desired consistency.
• If you want different coloured icing, separate into different bowls before adding food colouring.
• Pipe frosting onto cakes using a piping bag, or simply spread with the back of a spoon.
• Decorate with sugar flowers, sprinkles etc.

*This is not product placement – I’ve found this is the best dairy free vegan spread to bake with, the firmer texture replicates a butter-like consistency better than some of the softer blends.

^Generally, caster sugar is used in cakes, especially cupcakes. I prefer not to use caster sugar as raw sugar has a richer flavour and is a bit healthier. Caster will probably give a more homogenous cake result if that’s what you’re after.. it’s a matter of preference.