Thanks for bearing with me yesterday. I’d been fighting off what I knew was an oncoming cold and I woke up yesterday feeling as if I’d been beaten with a brick. I took the day off to get some much needed rest, but as I’m sure is the case for many of you, my schedule and commitments don’t really allow for the R&R I probably really need. So I’m back at work today, feeling a bit patched together, with a stack of catch-up work a mile high, but unwilling to wait another day to share our weekend happenings with you.
During dinner on Thursday, our good friend Blake called with free tickets to Saturday’s football game. Because we’re not diehard fans, we have yet to attend a game. We’re usually just the posers who pilfer the tailgate scene. Still, we thought it’d be fun to see a game with him and Anja (who also got a free ticket), so we scooped up the tickets and told Clive it’d be another week before he could attend a tailgate. Poor guy gets so excited!
Even though we weren’t wearing gold (woops!) or really cheering for any team, we still had fun sitting through the rain and watching a very close game between the Tigers and the San Diego State Aztecs.
I’m still on a fiendish dessert kick lately so rather than make messy time with a Crock or pan full of something I opted to whip together some “Black and Gold” Cupcakes. In reality they’re a delicious vegan chocolate cupcake with freshly grated ginger and orange I had on hand. Something perfectly warm with a hint of spice for fall. I have to say though, these are the best cupcakes I’ve ever made. Perfect moisture, delectable chocolate balanced with orange and ginger (my favorite combination next to chocolate and raspberry), with just enough richness to go perfect with a glass of milk (regular, soy, or other). Yes people, I’ve arrived in cupcake utopia, and it is glorious!
(Adapted from: The Kitchn)
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cups sugar
¾ cups water
½ cup canola oil
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange peel
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Glaze:
¼ cup powdered sugar (you can also use brown)
4 tablespoons orange juice or juice squeezed from 1 orange
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix all dry ingredients until thoroughly combined.
3. Add water, oil, vanilla, orange juice, ginger and orange peel and mix again. Add vinegar slowly while stirring.
4. Once the mixure darkens, pour into muffin tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes (it took ours the full 20 minutes) for a medium sized cupcake. Allow to sit in pan for 5 minutes, remove and place on wire rack until completely cool.
5. Mix powdered sugar and orange juice until sugar is fully dissolved. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of each muffin. Garnish with orange peel if desired.Makes 12 muffins.
This recipe would also be well-suited for a cake or quick bread. It was certainly perfect for an abnormally warm fall tailgate, and I’m glad I opted to make these and not a hot dish of any kind. Hopefully summer decides to take it’s leave soon. I’m ready for Fall to actually begin, minus this head cold!
Is summer still holding on where you live?
Yum — and so pretty, too! I’ve never seen parchment used like that. Very cool.
I made these so last minute I forgot cupcake papers. These were a great fill-in and so easy to do!
Is it wax paper?or freezer paper? I can’t find my cup cake papers at the moment.
Use parchment or wax paper, as freezer paper would be too thick and cumbersome to work with.
I was just about to ask about the paper and here is the answer. Loved this creative way to create cupcake wrappers.
OMG, my three favorite flavors all in one recipe. Cupcake nirvana!
I’m not usually a fan of vegan deserts; to me they are heavy and dense. BUT I love food; I can’t help but try new things. I was pleasantly surprised by the cupcakes. I enjoyed them and I highly recommend them!
As for the wrong colors and point out the not being surprised by a California public education system…pppppffffffft, whatever! 🙂 Too bad they didn’t teach clock management skills to San Diego State!
They look absolutely delicious! I must try this recipe!
These cupcakes really look great!! The only time of year that I bake cupcakes is Valentine’s Day. I make these Be My Valentine Cupcakes for my special someone! These would be perfect for my niece’s birthday. Thanks for sharing!
holy… even the batter tastes amazing already, just popped them in the oven. I substituted 1/4 cup of brown sugar with maple syrup because 1)my brown sugar was rock hard ha and 2)i’m canadian, also added a 1/4 cup of wheat germ to give it a fibre boost.
so.very.stoked for it to come out! kitchen..whole house is smelling divine. thanks for the adaptation!
Thank you so much! The pastries i usually make end up looking bad but tasting okay. These came out perfect, looking and tasting great for my mom Who has had heart problems and has gone vegan for the past few months :)She misses chocolate so much and loved these! Thank you so much for this recipe 🙂 It was easy and quick and I’m defiantly gonna do them again for Mothers Day 🙂