scrimpySnack of the Week: Very Vanilla Vegan Cupcakes

Hey all! This week's scrimpy snack is vegan cupcakes with a not vegan frosting. It's adapted from an allrecipes.com recipe. If I made these for Mike for lunch, I would send them with him unfrosted, or I would frost them lightly on top and put them in a glass storage container.

I'm going to post the pictures later, I'm just running around like a maniac getting my sister's surprise birthday dinner together.

Very Vanilla Vegan Cupcakes

makes 12

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar ($.05)
1 1/2 cups soy milk ($.56)
2 cups all-purpose flour ($.30)
1 cup white sugar ($.31)
2 t. baking powder ($.08)
1/2 t. baking soda ($.01)
1/2 t. salt ($.01)
1/2 c.vegetable oil ($.44)
1 1/2 t. vanilla (.24)

Total is $1.99/dozen!

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with 12 paper baking cups.
   
2. Measure the apple cider vinegar into a 2 cup measuring cup. Fill with soy milk to make 1 1/2 cups. Let stand until curdled, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy milk mixture, vegetable oil and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
   
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with desired frosting.

This is a nice recipe to make if you don't have any eggs, or don't feel like using any eggs. You could also use regular, almond, or rice milk. I would make these any day, even if I wasn't cooking for my allergic nephew. They're amazing. Mine were done in 20 minutes.

I used basic easy buttercream (I don't know why it becomes double spaced from here on):

Buttercream Frosting

makes enough for 12 cupcakes frosted VERY generously

2 sticks of butter (unsalted, or one salted + one unsalted) ($1.40)

2 c. powdered sugar ($1.00)

2 t. vanilla ($.16)

Total: $2.56...That makes the dozen cupcakes $4.55 (and you'll probably have leftover frosting!)

1. Soften butter to room temperature. If it's still too cold when you need to make the frosting, put the microwave on 30% and cook it 10 seconds at a time until it's soft all the way through.


2. Beat butter and sugar, then add vanilla.
   
3. If the consistency is too stiff, add milk by the Tablespoon full.


4. Color with food coloring if you'd like. I sprinkled decorating sugar on them, too. So pretty!


5. Enjoy :D.

Watch out for pictures later! Sorry for any typos, I'm blogging at warp speed, PEOPLE!

xo

Taylor