Favorite Family Recipes

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Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces vegan cream cheese (Kite Hill or GoVeggie)

8 tablespoons vegan butter softened (Miyoko’s)

5 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon lemon juice and/or apple cider vinegar (better mimics the tang of real cream cheese)

Cupcake Mix

1 cup almond milk or other plant-based milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup neutral oil (avocado or vegetable)

2 tablespoons vegetarian red food coloring

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.

2. Whisk together milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside to curdle, about 5–10 minutes. If it doesn’t curdle, that’s OK!

3. Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl and mix.

4. Add oil, food coloring, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the curdled milk-vinegar mixture. Whisk well to combine. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry, mixing until large lumps disappear.

5. Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds full. Bake for 18–20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes then transfer cupcakes to cooling rack to cool completely.

6. Make the cream cheese frosting: Combine cream cheese and butter. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Pour in vanilla extract, then add in the powdered sugar, about 1–2 cups at a time. Beat on medium speed until completely incorporated after each addition. Refrigerate until ready to use.

7. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Ginger Snap Cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter room temp 1

cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup unsulphured molasses

1 egg

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons powdered ginger spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons extra sugar for rolling dough

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour baking soda, salt, ginger, and ciminnamon.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together till creamy. Add in egg and molasses mix.

3. Add flour mixture to the wet mixture a little at a time, mix until all is just combined.

4. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

6. Roll dough into balls (size of a quarter or a bit larger) and then roll the balls in the sugar.

7. Place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 12–14 minutes until edges are lightly golden and cookies are crinkly in appearance.