Such a Fun Age: Red Velvet Cupcakes

Such a Fun Age - Recipe 8

Earlier that day, when Emira returned to drop Briar at home, she didn’t give Mrs. Chamberlain the fifteen dollars remaining in her jacket pocket. She’d spent $6.50 on a movie ticket for herself (Briar’s ticket ended up being free), five dollars on a small popcorn, and then $2.25 on a red velvet cupcake. She and Briar split the treat sitting across from each other in a bakery filled with white people and pictures of vintage chickens framed on the walls. “Hey, B. Guess what?” Emira said in between two licks of frosting. “It’s my birthday today.” — (Excerpt from Ch. 22)

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1 cup oat milk

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1.25 cups flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/3 cup canola oil

• 2 Tbsp unsweetened apple sauce

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• Red food coloring (about 1.5 - 2 Tbsp, depending on the food coloring)

For the Glaze:

• 1/4 cup vegan butter (I find that Earth Balance sticks work best for frosting)

• 1/2 (4oz) container vegan cream cheese (I like Tofutti)

• 3 cups powdered sugar

• 2-3 Tbsp oat milk

Instructions:

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line and grease a muffin tin.

2. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, stir together oat milk and vinegar. Set aside for 5 min (this is how you make vegan “buttermilk”)

3. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well mixed.

4. While still mixing on low, slowly pour in the oil, apple sauce, vanilla extract, and “buttermilk” from earlier. Mix until smooth.

5. Add your food coloring until a deep red color is achieved.

6. Evenly distribute batter among the prepared cupcake liners and tap muffin tin on the counter to remove any bubbles.

7. Bake for about 20 min, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

8. Cool completely before adding glaze.

For the Glaze:

1. Mix together vegan butter, vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and oat milk until well combined.

2. If too thick, add more oat milk. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.

3. Again, let cupcakes cool completely before adding glaze. When cool, pipe on glaze with a piping bag, and decorate.

4. Enjoy!