Print    Print to PDF

(Published: May 3, 2017)

Directions:

To make the cupcakes:

1. Heat oven to 350F and line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, use a whisk to combine the soy milk and vinegar. Set aside for at least 5 minutes to allow the milk to curdle. Then add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract until the mixture is foamy.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, and beat until smooth.
5. Bake 18-20 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

To make the vegan frosting:

1. Combine vegan butter and sugar until well combined and fluffy.
2. Add vanilla and soy milk, and beat on high for 5-7 minutes.

To assemble:

1. Once cupcakes have cooled completely, spread a layer of plain, white frosting on the surface of each cupcake.
2. Scoop two tablespoons (or enough to use for the pink mouth on each cupcake) out of the bowl and into a separate bowl. These two tablespoons will become pink icing for the mouth on each cupcake, and the rest of the icing will be turned brown to ice the hair and eyes on the cupcakes.
3. For the brown icing, add cocoa powder until you’ve reached your desired hair/eye colour. Then transfer this icing to a cake piping tool (or use a small plastic bag with a small cut in the bottom corner). Pipe the icing onto the cupcakes to create a ‘hair line’. Start at the top center of the cake, and create Leia’s middle part for curtaining the brown icing across. Then create two dot eyes.
4. To make your icing pink, cut a few slices of fresh beet and stir the pieces into the reserved icing. Continue adding beet until you have your desired hue. Then transfer this icing into another piping bag, and ice a smile onto each cupcake.
5. To attach the hair buns, use a dab of icing to cement a sandwich cookie to both sides of each cupcake.
6. Enjoy!