Freshly caramelized apples, cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon come
together to make these vegan cupcakes flavored with all things fall. Use
a piping bag to pie generous peaks of vegan buttercream on top, and add
a dash of cinnamon and a few caramelized apples as garnishes to your
seasonal sweets.
Ingredients
- 2 large apples, any firm variety (Granny Smith, Braeburn, etc.)
- 2 T. dairy-free soy margarine
- 3 T. light dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 t. baking soda
- 3/4 t. baking powder
- 1/4 t. sea salt
- 2 t. ground cinnamon
- 1 cup almond milk or coconut milk
- 2 T. lemon juice
- 1/3 cup canola oil or nut-based oil like macadamia nut oil
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 t. pure vanilla extract
- Vegan Butter Cream Frosting, for frosting cupcakes
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a standard 12-cup muffing tin
with cupcake liners, and set aside. Core and dice the apples--peels can
be left on or off, your choice--and set aside.
2. Heat the
dairy-free soy margarine and brown sugar in a heavy skillet over medium
heat, cooking and stirring constantly until the mixture just starts to
bubble. Add the diced apple to the pan and stir well to coat the pieces.
Stirring often, cook until the apples are golden
and lightly caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from
heat and let the apples cool slightly while preparing the rest of the
batter.
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the
all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and ground
cinnamon until well combined. Set aside.
4. In another
small bowl, whisk together the almond milk or coconut milk, the lemon
juice, canola oil, white sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk just long
enough to slightly dissolve the sugar.
5. Add the wet
ingredients to the dry, mixing just to combined. Fold in the caramelized
apple pieces, leaving a few pieces out to garnish your finished
cupcakes with after baking.
6. Using a portion scoop,
portion the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each 3/4 of
the way full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops of the cupcakes
spring back slightly when touched. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan
for 15-20 minutes, then remove and allow them to cool completely on a
wire cooling rack.
Frost with Vegan Butter Cream Frosting or other dairy-free frosting of your choice.
**This
recipe is suitable for dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan diets, but as
with any recipe intended for persons with allergies or dietary
restrictions, make sure to read all nutritional labels carefully to make
sure that there are no hidden dairy-derived ingredients or other allergens, if these apply to you).
By Ashley Adams
Dairy Free Cooking Expert, about.com
