Valentine´s Day Cupcakes

Happy Valentine's Day!

Not that I'm a big fan of this day (overdose of hearts, pink color everywhere, romance...eewwk! haha), but it's a good excuse to bake something special and share with all of  you a new recipe.

What if you didn't get flowers, chocolates nor a card?! Treat yourself today and bake these delicious Vegan Tiramisú Cupcakes. Believe me, you won't regret it. Delicious is just a statement, they are like the best vegan cupcakes I have ever tasted in my life. So tasty, spongy, rich...and the coffee/liqueur mixture tops it all off! I'm proud of myself, yay for me! Hee hee.

Click aquí para leer la receta en español!

Vegan Tiramisú Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from the book 'Vegan cupcakes take over the World'.

Ingredients
(makes 12)
- For the cupcakes:
1 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar.
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour.
2 tbsp cornstarch.
3/4 tsp baking powder.
1/2 tsp baking soda.
1/2 tsp salt.
1/3 cup sunflower oil.
3/4 cup granulated sugar.
2 tsp vanilla extract.
1/4 tsp almond extract, caramel extract or more vanilla extract.

1/3 cup espresso or strong coffee.
1/3 cup Kahlúa or other coffee-flavored liqueur.
1 tbsp cocoa powder.
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon.
Strawberry marmalade.

- For the vegan cream cheese frosting:
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened.
1 cup confectioners' sugar.
1 tsp vanilla extract.

Directions

- To make the golden vanilla cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180 ºC) and line cupcake pan with paper liners.

Whisk the soy milk and vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside a few minutes to get curdled.

In a large bowl beat together the soy milk mixture, oil, sugar and vanilla. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until no large lumps remain.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way and bake for 20 to 22 minutes till done.

Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Meanwhile we can start making the cream cheese frosting and brew the coffee.

- To make the vegan cream cheese frosting:

Cream the vegan cream cheese and sugar until just combined with a rubber spatula.

Add in the vanilla extract.

Use a handheld mixer to whip, mix until smooth and creamy.

Keep tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

Note: this time I didn't use margarine and also reduced the sugar to 1 cup (instead of 2 cups as the original recipe calls for). It tastes a bit softer and less sweet than the frosting with margarine but still a tad bit too sweet for my taste. Definitely I'm gonna search for a different frosting recipe, probably one that includes whipped soy cream. Anyway, I'm sure all classic-buttercream lovers will love this one.

- To assemble:

Mix together the coffee liqueur and the espresso.Use a paring knife to carve out a small cone in the center of the cupcake. Place spoon about 1 inch from the center of the cupcake, then dig the spoon in about 1 inch deep and cut a circle around the center. Carefully scoop out a cone, trying your best to keep the chunk as intact as possible.

Use a spoon to pour the coffee liqueur in the cavity of the cupcake, making sure that all sides of the cavity are drenched, using up to 2tbsp of liquid per cupcake.

Scoop about 2 tbsp of vegan cream cheese frosting into the cavity.

Dip the bottom ot the cut-out chunk into the liqueur mixture but keep the top part dry.

Add a tablespoon approximately of strawberry marmalade (optional) and place the cut-out chunk on top of the frosting and gently pat it into place. Continue the process with the remaining cupcakes.

Place the cocoa powder and cinnamon in a small strainer and dust all of the cupcakes.

Let sit in the fridge for about 10 minutes and serve.

Note: as in the traditional tiramisú recipe I let them in the fridge overnight and just a few minutes before serving I dust cocoa powder/ground cinnamon  again to make them look prettier.