Vegan chocolate cupcakes

Ingredients

• 240ml soy milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 90ml sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 220g plain flour
• 60g cocoa powder
• 160g Dark Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp Flaky sea salt

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

• 150g vegan butter
• 350g icing sugar
• 50g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• a pinch fine sea salt
• 1-2 tbsp soy milk

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and put 12 cupcake cases in a muffin tin. Pour the soy milk, vanilla, sunflower oil and cider vinegar into a jug and mix well. Leave for a few minutes to thicken.
2. Put the plain flour, cocoa powder, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle.
3. Pour in the soy milk and whisk to make a smooth batter. Divide between the cupcake cases and bake for 15-18 minutes until well risen and cooked through. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
4. To make the frosting, whisk the vegan butter in a bowl with an electric whisk until really soft and creamy. Mix together the icing sugar and cocoa powder in a separate bowl.
5. Whilst whisking, gradually add the icing sugar mixture a spoonful at a time, adding more once the last is incorporated.
6. Add the salt and enough soy milk to make a smooth, pipe-able icing. Scrape into a piping bag with a star nozzle.
7. If the tops of the cupcakes have peaked, trim with a small serrated knife to make flat surfaces.
8. Pipe the icing onto the top of each of the cupcakes to serve. Keeps for two-three days in an airtight container.

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and put 12 cupcake cases in a muffin tin. Pour the soy milk, vanilla, sunflower oil and cider vinegar into a jug and mix well. Leave for a few minutes to thicken.
2. Put the plain flour, cocoa powder, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle.
3. Pour in the soy milk and whisk to make a smooth batter. Divide between the cupcake cases and bake for 15-18 minutes until well risen and cooked through. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
4. To make the frosting, whisk the vegan butter in a bowl with an electric whisk until really soft and creamy. Mix together the icing sugar and cocoa powder in a separate bowl.
5. Whilst whisking, gradually add the icing sugar mixture a spoonful at a time, adding more once the last is incorporated.
6. Add the salt and enough soy milk to make a smooth, pipe-able icing. Scrape into a piping bag with a star nozzle.
7. If the tops of the cupcakes have peaked, trim with a small serrated knife to make flat surfaces.
8. Pipe the icing onto the top of each of the cupcakes to serve. Keeps for two-three days in an airtight container.