Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes w/- Vanilla Cream"cheese" Frosting

Yes, these are a bit late to be considered a Halloween post but personally I don't need an excuse to try my hand at baking pumpkin pie. It's moist, sweet and pumpkiny! You can't freakin' loose!

Wasn't sure how a vegan version of this recipe would go. In fact, I spent hours scouring through pumpkin pie recipes trying to figure it out. Sure there were plenty of vegan pumpkin cupcake recipes but I wanted something with the soft velvety texture of real pie! I decided to use some silken tofu to replace the eggs only to discover I had bought mango flavoured silken tofu because they had put the sale sticker over the word mango! Crap!

Then it hit me, pumpkin puree is a natural binder...why even use an egg replacement! I'm slow, but I get there eventually.


Now, these aren't baked in shells so obviously they needed a little more hold to them than the really creamy texture of the traditional pumpkin pie I've been lucky enough to try (which by the way is only once as here in Australia no-one seems to have cottoned on to the wonders of this dessert). I ended up deciding that some flour would have to be added. This resulted in a cakey outer layer and a gooey middle and I can't think of anything better than having your cake and eating pie too.

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes w/- Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (makes 12-14)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup soy milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, cardamom, all spice)
• 1 425g can pumpkin puree (I found mine at a specialty candy store as it's not readily available here in Australia)
• 1/3 cup canola oil
  
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla
  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and grease or line tray with silicone cupcake papers.
2. In a medium bowl mix together soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Place aside to curdle.
3. In another medium bowl sift together plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
4. To the soy mixture add pumpkin puree, canola oil, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk until mixed thoroughly.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until no large lumps remain.
6. Fill each paper about 3/4 full.
7. Bake for 20-22 mins or until tops are a golden brown and a few cracks are forming.
8. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10mins then remove from pan to completely cool.
9. Chill in refrigerator.
   

One small thing to note is that these will sink a little in the middle which is due to the soft centre so don't worry they aren't undercooked!

Vanilla Cream"cheese" Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 2-3 cups icing sugar
• scraping from 1 vanilla bean pod or 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Whisk together cream cheese and margarine.
2. Add icing sugar 1 cup at a time until it is a stiff enough consistency that it holds it's form and is at desired sweetness.
3. Add vanilla bean scraping or vanilla essence and whisk until fully incorporated.
4. Pipe onto chilled cup-pies and enjoy!