Name: Vegan chocolate cupcakes
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Makes 12
Ingredients: 250ml soy milk; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 80ml sunflower oil; 1 tbsp cider vinegar; 200g plain flour; 50g cocoa powder; 150g soft light brown sugar; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; ½ tsp fine sea salt; 150g vegan butter; 350g icing sugar; 50g cocoa powder; 1 tsp vanilla extract; a pinch fine sea salt; 1-2 tbsp soy milk

250ml soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
80ml sunflower oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
200g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
150g soft light brown sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp fine sea salt

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

150g vegan butter
350g icing sugar
50g cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch fine sea salt
1-2 tbsp soy milk

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and put 12 cupcake cases in a muffin tin. Pour the soy milk, vanilla, sunflower oil and cider vinegar into a jug and mix well. Leave for a few minutes to thicken.
step 2
Put the plain flour, cocoa powder, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in the soy milk and whisk to make a smooth batter. Divide between the cupcake cases and bake for 15-18 minutes until well risen and cooked through. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
step 3
To make the frosting, whisk the vegan butter in a bowl with an electric whisk until really soft and creamy. Mix together the icing sugar and cocoa powder in a separate bowl. Whilst whisking, gradually add the icing sugar mixture a spoonful at a time, adding more once the last is incorporated. Add the salt and enough soy milk to make a smooth, pipeable icing. Scrape into a piping bag with a star nozzle.
step 4
If the tops of the cupcakes have peaked, trim with a small serrated knife to make flat surfaces. Pipe the icing onto the top of each of the cupcakes to serve. Keeps for two-three days in an airtight container.