Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Vegan Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

Before I made these cupcakes, I thought that nothing could compare to the "real thing."  You know...white flour, butter, eggs, whole milk...Miss Deen style?  Well, my world has been turned upside down by these cupcakes.  These cupcakes put all other cupcakes to shame.  They are amazing...and I don't say that about everything.  I thought they were going to be a grainy, tasteless mess.  I thought they would taste healthy.  They don't.  They are rich, indulgent, and delicious.

Don't lick the screen.  Go to your nearest grocery store (quickly) and purchase some rice flour and Earth Balance Vegan Butter.  Then, get busy in the kitchen.   A special thank you to Chelsea Gillis for asking me to help with a recipe.  I owe you big time!

The cupcake batter and "buttercream" frosting have been modified from Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero's recipes in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  (They sure have taken over mine.)  I've substituted vegan butter for the oil (makes them richer), added a banana (for binding power), changed the flour from all purpose to rice flour, and increased the flour amount.  Please note: this recipe only makes 12.  You will probably want to double this recipe because they will disappear quickly!

Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
1 c. soy milk
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. melted vegan butter (Earth Balance is great)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. rice flour
1/3 c. cocoa (Make sure you get gluten free if you are preparing for severe gluten allergies.)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 count muffin tin with liners.

Whisk together soy milk and apple cider vinegar and allow to curdle for a couple minutes.
Add sugar, melted vegan butter and vanilla extract to milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until foamy.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix.
Beat for 1-2 minutes with electric mixer.
Pour into lined muffin tin.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until cupcakes bounce back a bit when touched.

Allow these little guys to cool completely before frosting.

Vegan Fluffy Buttercream Frosting 

1/2 c. nonhydrogenated shortening
1/2 c. softened vegan butter (Earth Balance is great)
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 c. soy milk (plus more to thin out, if needed)

Beat the shortening and vegan butter with electric mixer until fluffy.
Gradually add the sugar until well combined (about 3 minutes).
Add the vanilla and soy milk and beat for another 5-7 minutes.
Add more soy milk if needed.

You can get fancy with piping the frosting or you can be like me and throw it in a zip top bag and snip off the end.  Whichever way you choose, as long as the fluffy goodness gets on them cakes, it'll do!

Too bad this only made 12.  Did I already say that?