Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 2 and 1/4 cups premium flour
• 1 and 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp of soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups almond or soy milk
• 0.5 cups vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze

• 0.5 cups margarine (dairy-free) or unrefined coconut oil
• 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp almond or soy milk
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line 2 medium muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond or soy milk, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture. Whisk vigorously until smooth (the batter will be quite runny). Pour the batter into muffin tins, filling them two-thirds full.
3. Bake the cupcakes for about 25 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan, then turn them out to frost.
   
   
   Note
   
   While most cupcake and muffin recipes call for a fair amount of sugar, this one uses even more. Sugar serves more than just a sweetener. Since the recipe is eggless, it adds moisture and softness to the cupcakes. Adding less sugar will result in dry, crumbly cakes.
4. Whisk the margarine with 2 cups of powdered sugar, then whisk in the almond or soy milk and vanilla. Add the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes using a piping bag or simply spread it on top and store at room temperature. Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days..