Golden Vanilla Cupcakes (vegan) & Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

These are the best cupcakes I've ever had!!! The recipe is out of the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. 

I have been known to yell at folks for eating the last one... If you do not use a hand mixer or mixing bowl, the frosting doesn't get frothy and will slide right off the cupcakes. But it will still taste fantastic in all of the messy glory!

1 cup soy milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 & 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp cornstarch

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt (increase salt to 1/2 tsp if you're using oil instead of margarine)

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine (I use vegan Earth Balance), softened, or 1/3 cup canola oil

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract, caramel extract, or more vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan w/cake liners

Whisk the soy milk & vinegar in a measuring cup & set aside for a few min to get good & curdled.

If using margarine, sift the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, & salt into a large bowl & mix

In a separate large bowl, use a handheld mixer at med. speed to cream the margarine & sugar for about 2min (don't beat past 2min!!). Beat in the vanilla & other extract, then alternate beating the soy milk & dry ingredients, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl a few times.

If using oil, beat together soy milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla, & other extracts in a large bowl. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, & salt. Mix until no large lumps remain.

Fill cupcake liners two-thirds of the way & bake for 20-22min. Transfer to a cooling rack & let completely cool before frosting. 

Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated shortening

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine

3 & 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup plain soy milk or soy creamer

Beat the shortening & margarine together until well-combined & fluffy. Add the sugar & beat for about 3min more. Add the vanilla & soy milk & beat for another 5-7min until fluffy.