How to Make Vegan Cupcakes


1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (don't worry about the smell, it bakes off)
1 1/2 cups of plain soymilk (you can try chocolate, vanilla etc for a different flavour)
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional if you a) don't mind a slightly less enhanced flavour & b) you eat the cupcakes quickly)
1 cup sugar (maple sugar or rice syrup are also fine replacements)
1/2 cup oil (walnut, macadamia oils are especially good!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vary with neroli orange oil, rosewater, coconut extract etc)
Icing of your choice
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare your muffin tray - it is best to use recycled paper cupcake holders. Put to one side.
Put the cider vinegar into a small bowl and add the soymilk. Stir this well and then put to one side. The mixture will now curdle and this is what should be happening.
Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder & soda and salt. If you want chocolate cupcakes, add cocoa (about 1/2 cup) to this stage.
Stir the oil and vanilla extract into the bowl containing the soymilk and vinegar. Mix together.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat together (by hand or with an electric hand-held mixer).
Fill the muffin pan. Usually fill each paper cupcake holder with about 1/4 cup of batter. If you prefer larger cupcakes, then add a half a cup but make sure the muffin pan is larger and the cupcake holders are bigger.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. If you can smell the cupcakes earlier, check to make sure they aren't browning earlier (this means they're more than ready). If you aren't certain, turn off the oven earlier and let them sit for a few more minutes rather than bake them into rocks.
Wait for the pan to cool down and then place cupcakes onto a wire rack to cool.
Ice the cupcakes. It is always nice to add a little of your favourite juice to the icing. Chocolate cupcakes with orange icing is delightful!