"Cream Cheese" Frosted Red Velvet Cupcakes

I absolutely adore Red Velvet! This recipe is not just vegan- it tastes better than any butter/eggs-based red velvet cake or cupcake I've had. It's simple, quick, and a total crowd-pleaser.




THE CAKE

Ingredients

1 1/2 C. flour, sifted
2 Tbsp baking cocoa
1 tspn baking soda
1/4 tspn baking powder
1/4 tspn salt
1/2 C of softened vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance)
3/4 C of sugar
1/2C + 2 Tbsp vegan "sour cream"
1 C vanilla soy milk
1/2 tspn of pure vanilla extract
1 tspn mild, white vinegar
2-3 Tbsp red food coloring

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, soft together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate, large bowl, cream together the softened margarine and sugar with an electric mixer. Then, add into the creamed mixture the "sour cream", milk and vinegar and mix until well-combined. Add the vanilla and food coloring. Mix it well at this point, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl, to ensure a homogenous mixing of the coloring. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ones in two batches and mix until well-combined (approximately another minute).

Fill up the muffin cups about 2/3 high with the batter. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.

"Cream Cheese" Frosting

Ingredients
1 8 oz. container of vegan "cream cheese"
2 tbsp vegan margarine
2 1/2 C confectioner's sugar
1 tspn pure vanilla extract

Directions
In a medium bowl, cream together the "cream cheese" and margarine on a high speed until well blended. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix until it's light and fluffy. Then, just frost the cupcakes. I feel like the frosting "falls" or "un-puffs" after a day or so, so it's best to frost just prior to eating/serving. The nice thing about this frosting is that it will keep (if tightly covered in the refrigerator) for at least 2-3 days.