Cupcake lessons

[1vegan]

I've learned a few lessons today....

I didn't feel well yesterday evening and today, sore throat and a slight headache......and bored, so I decided to do what I planned for a long time :

making cupcakes :o

I used a basic recipe for chocolate cupcakes, and it went pretty well imho

I learned a few things:
- prepare in advance, once you're going, it's too late to ask questions on the net
- if you don't have baking paper, alu foil would work too (but I forgot that)
- cupcakes are best made with a special baking tin
- you shouldn't fill them more than the half cup
- you can't put a almond on cupcakes before baking them, it will sink in

I didn't have canola oil like the recipe said, so I used olive oil, I wonder if that made them less sweet?

cupcakes before they went in the oven :

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x97/veg_eric/baking/IM005699.jpg

after 20 minutes :

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x97/veg_eric/baking/IM005702.jpg

The ones that didn't have a double paper thingy, those sagged and let some batter run out after I put them in the oven :(

The structure was ok I think, maybe they could have been slightly dryer inside, but they could have tasted more sweet imho, maybe I should use more sugar next time?

[Bowwowmeow]

How much sugar did the recipe call for? You can always put in a little more. I don't think the olive oil would have affected the sweetness.

You definitely need a cupcake or muffin tin, so you won't have cascading cupcakes! Actually the spilled ones look interesting; it would be fun to decorate them like lava flows, or rivers with candy rocks around the edges. I used to make very whimsical cakes decorated like lily ponds, with icing frogs on the lily pads, aquariums with icing fish swimming in them, and candy gorillas climbing up icing banana trees, picking candy bananas. :D

[Bowwowmeow]

I hope you are feeling better, by the way. I had a headache a couple of days ago myself.

[1vegan]

I used this recipe :

Basic Chocolate Cupcake

1 Cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract chocolate extract, or more vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, Dutch processed or regular
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat over to 350 degrees F and line muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl and set aside for a few minutes to curdle.

Add the sugar, oil and vanilla extract and other extract, if using, to the soy milk mixture and beat till foamy.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat till no lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are okay) Pour into liners, filling three quarters of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely.

Maybe I should try a full cup of sugar next time.
I think once I know I can do it decently, that I will invest in real cupcake tins.

[Bowwowmeow]

If you are going to eat them plain, you might like to add the extra sugar, but if you are going to put frosting or some other sweet topping, less sweet cake is really better.

[thevegantwins]

I think 3/4 cup is alot of sugar already. Maybe up your extracts to total 1 teaspoon. 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and 1/2 almond would be nice.

[my3labs]

This (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Vegan-Chocolate-Cake/Detail.aspx) is my favorite cupcake recipe. It's actually a cake recipe but it makes awesome cupcakes. I add about a 1/4 teaspoon of mint extract and they're legendary among my friends.

[Oracl]

I didn't feel well yesterday evening and today, sore throat and a slight headache......and bored, so I decided to do what I planned for a long time :

making cupcakes :o
You are such a sweetie, 1vegan! :psmooch: I think your cupcakes look delicious. :yum:

[Oracl]

This (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Vegan-Chocolate-Cake/Detail.aspx) is my favorite cupcake recipe. It's actually a cake recipe but it makes awesome cupcakes. I add about a 1/4 teaspoon of mint extract and they're legendary among my friends.
That does sound like an excellent recipe. :agree: Picture looks yummy. :eat:

[Gliondrach]

They look all right to me. As long as they taste nice. I wonder what they would be like with raisins for extra sweetening?

[1vegan]

I think 3/4 cup is alot of sugar already. Maybe up your extracts to total 1 teaspoon. 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and 1/2 almond would be nice.

I think that's where I went wrong, I used vanilla sugar, instead of extract :o