Thursday, April 4, 2013

Vegan Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

This is the third thing I'm making for my clinic director for the SFF auction lot she won. I hate long introductions to recipe posts because nobody really gives a fuck about all this, but for those who may be curious where these come from, they were inspired by Reese's cups and a recipe I got from Nicole herself, actually, for creme-filled chocolate orange cupcakes. When I first got the idea, I thought about doing peanut butter cake balls hidden inside chocolate cupcakes (like the polka dots in this cake). The difference in texture you get from a cream filling is much better though. Also I forgot to take a picture because I'm the worst, so just pretend there's one here. Maybe I'll upload an artist's rendition later. Anyway, without further ado...

I took a picture of some of the remaining cupcakes on Friday.

Vegan Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

Prep time:
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time:
Makes: 2 dozen

What you need:
Chocolate cupcakes
Peanut butter frosting
Chocolate ganache
Chocolate peanut topping

Make everything. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, fill each cupcake with peanut butter frosting using a pastry bag with a narrow tip. Or, use a paring knife to cut an inverted cone out of the top middle of each cupcake, spoon some frosting inside the cupcakes, then gently but firmly replace the cone tops onto the cupcakes. This technique is courtesy of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Spread the chocolate ganache evenly over each cupcake and sprinkle with the chocolate peanut topping.

Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups coffee
1 cup canola oil
2 tsps vanilla

Preheat oven to 350° and line two 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and
salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together coffee, canola oil, and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for about 17 to 20
minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients:
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp almond milk, plus a little extra

Put everything except the almond milk into a bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until combined. Add one tablespoon of almond milk and mix, then continue to add milk until you reach a fluffy consistency.

Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup almond milk
1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil at room temperature

Using a double boiler or microwave, melt the chocolate chips in a medium bowl with the almond milk. Whisk in the coconut oil until smooth.

Chocolate Peanut Topping
Ingredients:
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup roasted peanuts (I use honey roasted, but use whatever you want)

Combine both ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until the pieces are chopped pretty finely and well mixed together.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies


These are the second thing from the SFF lot my clinic director won. They're basically just normal chocolate chip cookies; like the banana chocolate chocolate chip cookies from before I just replaced the egg with something flavorful. I did also add some spices to enhance the pumpkinness of it all.

My photography skills aren't the best, haha.

Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 12 min
Makes: 5 dozen

Adapted from: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18476/Original-NESTL%C3%89-TOLL-HOUSE-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies/detail.aspx

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flours, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat margarine, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add pumpkin puree and beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. The dough will be sticky, but that's ok.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Vegan Lemon Sugar Cookies

Ha, I just realized I haven't updated this thing in over a year. Well, you might remember from this post that the law school has an auction every year to support people working in public interest jobs their 1L summer. I auctioned off my baking again this year, and my amazeballs tax clinic director Nicole won them...for $91, which is over thrice what they went for last year. So I'm baking her a lot. There are two things though: she's vegan, and I'm trying to add more whole wheat flour to my baking, which means fiddling with recipes that I'm formalizing here so I can remember them (and pin them to access elsewhere).



Vegan Lemon Sugar Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Makes: About 4 1/2 dozen

Adapted from http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegancookierecipes/r/lemoncookie.htm

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups white flour
3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup sugar + 1/4 cup
1 cup vegan unsalted margarine, pre-softened
1/3 cup lemon zest
1/4 cup silken tofu
1/2 cup lemon juice, preferably fresh
1 tsp vanilla

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl.

In a separate large bowl, beat together the 2/3 cup sugar, vegan margarine and lemon zest until smooth and fluffy. Add the tofu and lemon juice, and whip until well mixed.

Add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture and stir until well combined.

Form dough into one-inch balls, and roll into the 1/4 cup sugar until well coated. Flatten slightly, and bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden brown.