Read Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World for Free Online Page A

rum, brandy, whiskey, or fruit cognac.
     
    CHOCOLATE GINGER: Sift 2 teaspoons ground ginger into the flour. Fold incup chopped crystallized ginger to the batter. Top with RICH CHOCOLATE GANACHE (page 143). Place a piece of crystallized ginger in the center of the ganache before it sets.

SEXY LOW-FAT VANILLA CUPCAKES
with Fresh Berries
    MAKES 12 CUPCAKES
    YOU MIGHT THINK there’s no way you could possibly get any sexier with all the cupcake baking you’ve been up to by now, but sometimes you just need to fit into that particular pair of pants (or skirt or dress or tube top) that makes you feel sexy ... but you’re not willing to give up cupcakes. Correction, there’s no way in freakin’ hell you’re putting down those cupcakes. Now you don’t have to, thanks to these vanilla-scented gems.
     
     
    INGREDIENTS
    For the cupcakes:
    ½ cup vanilla soy yogurt
2/3 cup vanilla or plain soy milk
¼ cup applesauce
3 tablespoons canola oil
¾ cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
    For the Skinny Confectioners’ Icing:
    1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 to 3 teaspoons of soy milk or 1 tablespoon
flavored syrup (like the kind
used for flavoring lattes and Italian
sodas)
½ cup seedless, smooth spreadable
fruit or other preserves
1 cup fresh fruit or berries, washed, patted
dry and thinly sliced if necessary
    DIRECTIONS
    TO MAKE THE CUPCAKES:
    1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, soy milk, applesauce, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Sift in flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix.

    Sexy Low-Fat Vanilla Cupcakes with Fresh Berries
    3. Fill cupcake liners three-quarters full. Bake 22 to 24 minutes until a knife or toothpick inserted through the center of one comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
    TO MAKE THE ICING:
    1. Mix confectioners’ sugar with soy milk or syrup, either with a fork or a small whisk. Mixture will resemble a very thick paste or batter. Carefully dribble in remaining soy milk, one teaspoon at a time, till mixture resembles a thin cake batter, adjusting additional soy milk by either less or more teaspoons till desired consistency is reached. If too watery, add in more confectioners’ sugar by the tablespoon.
    TO ASSEMBLE:
    1. Spread top of cupcake with a few thin layers of spreadable fruit at room temperature. Neatly and evenly spread the layers for the most attractive appearance. Spoon a small circle of Skinny Confectioners’ Icing on top of jam, decorate with fresh fruit, and carefully drizzle tops of berries with more icing.
    Sprinkles
    We think fresh raspberries make everything taste awesome and their being naturally low-fat we feature them here, but any succulent, seasonal fruit will be fabulous. These tender yet firm cupcakes can support all the peaches, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, mangoes, etc. you can top them with. The Skinny Confectioners’ Icing is optional but adds an elegant, sweet garnish. Experiment with different preserves to mix and match with any fruit combination that tickles your fancy.
    Our dedicated vegan weight loss task force recommends making these with low-fat or even fat-free soy milk to streamline these cupcakes’ fat and calorie profile.

SIMPLE VANILLA AND AGAVE NECTAR CUPCAKES
MAKES 12 CUPCAKES
    AGAVE NECTAR (see Ingredients, page 10) makes an exceptionally fluffy and tender cupcake, with a deep golden hue. Agave sweetness is different from regular sugar ... it’s light and subtle, with a delectable buttery flavor and faintly flowery aroma. The slightly lower cooking time helps here because agave baked goods brown darker and faster than stuff made with sugar, so be sure to check that oven thermometer!
    This is a very basic recipe to be play with; mix and match flavored extracts, mix-ins, and toppings. We