Vegan Lemon Cupcakes with Chocolate “Butter”cream

This is a recipe for people like me who can’t wait until summer for everything to be made of lemon.

Lemon Cakes:What:- 3/4 cup non-dairy milk (I use almond)
- 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. lemon extract (or more vanilla if you don’t have this)
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp. sugar

- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt

How:
Preheat oven to 350F (180C).

In a measuring cup, quickly stir non-dairy milk and vinegar with a fork, then set aside to curdle. In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, canola oil and flavor extracts. Add the sugar and milk/vinegar solution.

Use a separate, small bowl to combine the remaining ingredients. When well mixed, pour the dry ingredients into the large large bowl containing the wet ingredients (I do this instead of the other way around because I find that this creates the fewest lumps). Mix well. A few lumps are okay, but the fewer the better.

Generously fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and place into a muffin tin. Makes about twelve cupcakes with some leftover batter, which I used to make the mini-cakes in the picture above. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate “Butter”cream Frosting:
What:- 1/2 cup margarine (I use butter-flavored crisco)
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 5-6 tbsp. non-dairy milk
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

How:In a mixer, combine oil and margarine. Once blended, add half of the cocoa powder, blend for a minute, then add the other half. The mixture should still seem wet at this point. Add the confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, alternating with one or two tablespoons of non-dairy milk. Once the frosting has reached the intended consistency, incorporate the vanilla.

(This recipe makes a little extra frosting, but if you’re like me, you might just enjoy eating it as is.)