Recipe Review: Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes from VCTOTW

Happy Holidays! For a special vegan Christmas treat, I whipped up a last-minute batch of my favorite Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Of course, they’re amazing, Isa’s a genius!

I topped them with rich Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting & some sparkly holiday sugar. I absolutely adore these decadent & festive cupcakes. They are rich & chocolatey with a beautiful burgundy hue & perfect on your holiday dessert table.

CRIMSON VELVETEEN CUPCAKES

Authors: Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero (recipe shared with permission)

Recipe Type: Dessert, Cupcakes, Holiday, Baked Goods

Cuisine: Vegan

Yields: 12 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup soymilk (or plant milk of choice)

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, dutch or regular

• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

• 1/3 cup canola oil (I prefer coconut oil)

• 2 tablespoons red food coloring

• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

• 1 teaspoon chocolate extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin/cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

2. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle.

3. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and mix.

4. Add the oil, food coloring, chocolate extract, and almond extract to the curdled soy milk. Whisk well to combine. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry, mixing until large lumps disappear. Do not over-mix! Small lumps are okay.

5. Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds of the way full as these cupcakes will rise fairly high. I recommend using non-stick metal pans as opposed to those silicon pans, so the cupcakes will rise properly and not come out lopsided.

6. Bake 18-20 minutes until done. Stick a toothpick into a cupcake to see if it's done.

7. When done, transfer to a cooling rack or surface to cool completely before icing.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Authors: Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, softened

• 1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened (I used Tofutti)

• 2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cream together margarine and cream cheese until just combined.

2. Using a hand held mixer, whip while adding the confectioner's sugar in 1/2 cup batches. Scrape down the sides in between.

3. Mix until smooth and creamy, then mix in the vanilla.

4. Keep tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

A bit sinful, yes, but ‘tis the season. Enjoy!