Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

We really have been cupcake fiends lately ever since we got this cookbook.  

We had never made red velvet cupcakes before, vegan or otherwise, so we thought it was right about time we gave them a go.

If you've never had them either, they're basically chocolate cupcake (light on the cocoa) with red food dye.

What makes these really special is the frosting. It is seriously velvety soft! It's like a delicate doily that's edible! I don't know how that analogy came to mind but there you have it.

Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes and Old Fashioned Velvet Icing 

from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World  

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder, Dutch processed or regular
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons red food coloring
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon chocolate extract
(Chocolate extract is worth the trouble to find, but if you can't, use 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin/cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle.
3. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and mix.
4. Add the oil, food coloring, chocolate extract, and almond extract to the curdled soy milk. Whisk well to combine. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry, mixing until large lumps disappear. Do not over mix, otherwise your cupcakes will turn out gummy! Small lumps are okay.
5. Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds of the way full as these cupcakes will rise fairly high. I recommend using non-stick metal pans as opposed to those silicon pans, so the cupcakes will rise properly and not come out lopsided.
6. Place in hot oven and bake 18-20 minutes until done.

Icing Ingredients
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
1/2 cup soy milk
1/4 non-hydrogenated shortening
1/4 margarine
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup superfine or castor sugar (we just put regular sugar in the food processor until it looked (damn) fine)

Directions
In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together flour and soy milk. Stir constantly 'til mixture starts to thicken and has pudding-like consistency, about 3-4 mins. Remove from heat and allow to cool 2 mins. Transfer to large bowl and cover with plastic wrap, make sure to touch the plastic wrap to the top of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool completely before next step.
Cream together shortening, margarine, vanilla and sugar then beat in cold custard. Beat with electric mixer for 4-6 mins; frosting should become lighter in colour and have creamy texture. Frost once cupcakes have cooled completely.