Chow.com recently posted a recipe for St. Patty's Day Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes, and immediately I knew that they needed to be veganized because it would allow me to indulge in both my love for dark beer and my love for baking.
The first step in veganizing the cupcakes is to replace the Guinness, which is not vegan-friendly, with another Irish stout or coffee. Next, replace the milk with soy milk and the eggs with Ener-G brand egg replacer. Finally, replace the sour cream with the vegan equivalent, or if you are like me and don't have any on hand, use Vegenaise. I swear this was good and led to super-moist cupcakes that even my brother, who seems to be deathly afraid of all things vegan, approved of.
To get a nice light dusting of cocoa powder, try placing a small amount on a spoon and then blowing it onto the cupcakes. Of course, you don't want to do this if you're baking something you're going to sell or, say, giving the cupcakes to a complete germaphobe, but it is a neat at-home trick.
Enjoy the cupcakes with a strong Irish coffee, and you'll have a buzz, not just from sugar, to last throughout the day.
Chocolate Stout Cupcakes
For the Cupcakes:
1 12-oz. bottle Irish stout beer (or 12 oz. coffee, if you prefer)
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
Egg replacer equivalent to 3 eggs (try Ener-G brand)
3/4 cup vegan sour cream (try Tofutti brand)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
•Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the beer, soy milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat in the egg replacer and then mix in the vegan sour cream.
•In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, and baking soda. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet beer mixture.
•Grease 24 muffin tins (or line with cupcake liners) and divide the batter among the muffin tins.
•Bake for 25 minutes, or until done.
•Cool completely before decorating.
For the Frosting:
1 8-oz. pkg. vegan cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup soy milk
1 lb. confectioners' sugar
•Beat the vegan cream cheese in a bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the soy milk, then slowly mix in the confectioners' sugar.
To Assemble:
Cocoa powder for dusting
•Top each cooled cupcake with a dollop of frosting, then sprinkle with a small dusting of cocoa powder.
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Comments ( 10 )
This sounds sooooo delicious, but do you have any suggestions for a vegan Irish stout? This is my favorite kind of beer, and I have yet to find one that's up to the vegan standard.
Posted by Marlene Sauer | March 11, 2008 4:33 PM
Posted on March 11, 2008 16:33
That looks scrumptious. I've never baked with beer before (although I have cooked with it) so I think I am going to give this a try.
And it's so helpful, Amy, that you name specific brands to try. Takes the guesswork out of it all.
Cheers!
Posted by Almost Vegetarian | March 11, 2008 10:23 PM
Posted on March 11, 2008 22:23
This is a fantastic recipe. Can't waait to try it.
Posted by Gogi | March 12, 2008 3:19 PM
Posted on March 12, 2008 15:19
Does any have any ideas as to what I can replace the vegan sour cream with? I haven't come cross it here in Adelaide :(
Posted by Beth | March 13, 2008 4:21 AM
Posted on March 13, 2008 04:21
Hello,
I live in Mexico City and many (MANY) times I find the recepies in this blog not usefull. Due to the fact that here in Mexico you cant get vegan cheese (only what we call american cheese)and not even think about sour vegan cream or vegan cream cheese. I would really apreciate if you post more recepies that dont use these difficult to find ingredientes (if you dont live in the USA). Or maybe giving tips on how to make our own or how to substitued them would be GREAT!
Thanks,
Daniela
Posted by Daniela | March 13, 2008 4:32 PM
Posted on March 13, 2008 16:32
This is a great recipe. I tricked my mother (who is nowhere near vegan) into trying one...She loved it!
Posted by Sarah | March 15, 2008 8:56 PM
Posted on March 15, 2008 20:56
Vegan stout? Anyone??
Posted by Marlene Sauer | March 17, 2008 5:24 PM
Posted on March 17, 2008 17:24
Brooklyn Brewery makes a Chocolate Stout, and according to this web site: http://www.veganconnection.com/veganbeer.htm it is vegan.
If it's available near you, I would try this beer in the cupcakes.
Posted by Amy | March 18, 2008 9:24 AM
Posted on March 18, 2008 09:24
Rather than blowing the cocoa over the cupcake, you can spoon the cocoa into a small sieve and - using a spoon and holding the sieve over the cupcake - scratch the cocoa through the sieve onto the cupcake. (If you put waxed paper under the cupcake, you won't make a mess and can even pour those leftovers back into the sieve to use again)
Posted by margaret | March 19, 2008 9:46 AM
Posted on March 19, 2008 09:46
I live in Austin and a little bakery just started selling Guinness cupcakes...that are not vegan. I was so upset because something THAT delicious had never crossed my mind. Now that I stumbled upon this recipe, I'm totally content. You made my WEEK!
Posted by Elise Gabriel | September 8, 2008 7:56 PM
Posted on September 8, 2008 19:56