Rainbow cupcakes

We have been so spoiled in the past week, so much sunshine!! It felt great to go to the beach and wear shorts. It was +28 in March!! It didn't last, but it was such a treat. Just a little reminder of what summer feels like at the end of winter. It is back down to normal now...-1. hahaha

I have been keeping busy with the travel plans, and the kids. Yesterday I wanted a cupcake but didn't have any inspiration, so I hit up the corner store. I wanted to grab an extract of some kind, but there wasn't any. The store by our house has lots of interesting things, I came across these rainbow sour strips, my daughter calls them " gay bacon", I think that's cute :) So these happened and I am glad they did!

Chai cupcakes

Lightly spiced these little sweet confections are just like a creamy chai latte with a fluffy whipped frosting, a treat for any day of the week.

Chai cupcakes

1 1/2 cup  flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup steeped black tea (with fresh ginger slices, cinnamon stick, a few cloves, and a couple peppercorns)
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.
Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners
In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients, whisk until blended.
Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl. Pour into dry and mix up.
Scoop into lined muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Chai frosting

1/4 cup earth balance coconut spread
1 cup icing sugar
1-2 tbsp almond milk
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp vanilla extract

With an electric mixer beat all ingredients until fluffy.
Spread onto cooled cupcakes

Old fashion cupcakes with strawberry frosting

Good old fashioned cake with strawberry whipped frosting. The cake part is simple, and bakes up just like a grandma type cake. Very snackish. Cutting up a few strawberries and cooking them in a few tablespoons of water gave the frosting a nice hint of strawberry flavor with a classic pink color.  I finessed the slices of strawberry's into heart shapes (valentines day is just around the corner).




Vegan white cake
source: vegweb
makes 12 cupcakes


1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup sunflower oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp apple cider vinegar


Preheat oven to 350.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
Measure out wet ingredients into a small bowl
Mix the wet into the dry and stir until no lumps remain.
Pour into muffin tin, lined with cupcake paper.
Bake for 20 minutes


Strawberry Frosting


1/4 cup earth balance
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 strawberries cooked in a small pot with 3 tbsp water- cooled
2-3 tbsp vanilla soy milk
a small drop of two of almond extract


With an electric mixer beat butter and sugar together. Add the strawberry mixture and almond extract. Add 1 tbsp of soy milk at a time until desired consistency. Beat until fluffy

Lemon poppy seed cupcakes

It is a happy day for me because this afternoon my new stove was delivered!  What could be better than cupcakes to celebrate this joyous occasion? The great thing about this recipe you can leave out the frosting and have great lemon poppy seed muffins. This was my first time using egg re-placer and I am still undecided if it's a good thing?

2 cups flour
3/4 cup organic sugar
1 tsp baking soda
4 tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
1 1/2 tbsp pure lemon extract or 2 tbsp lemon juice
1 egg replacement
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp white vinegar

Add wet to dry and mix until all combined. Spoon into a greased muffin tin and bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until cooked ( test with a sharp small knife by inserting into the muffin, if it comes out clean there done!)

Frosting..I usually just eyeball it, but here is a good idea.

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup organic icing sugar, plus a little bit more :P
2 tbsp vanilla soymilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt

With a mixer combine everything and blend until fluffy. Adjusting the taste to your preference

Chocolate truffle cupcakes: made in the heart of the home

I have been running around a lot trying to get the home we just bought in order. Buying an old home has its ups and downs. I love the look of older homes, the charm that they seem to have. New homes are nice but they don't have the same qualities. I guess its like a young teenager compared to a cool old lady. I would way rather spend my time with a cool old lady hearing her stories and learning from her, then a has everything going for them, but it doesn't last (because its no longer in style) teenager. lol

I finished priming Oceans room, we picked two colours. Watermelon splash (for 1 wall), and whipped cream for the other 3. I have so many ideas for her room. We have moved around a lot with her, never being able to put down any roots. She is a super kid I figure she deserves her room finished first. After all she will be in her room a lot more then me in mine.

I like to dream about things I want to do with our home, mainly the kitchen. Since that is my space, and I have come to realize through home decor books that it is the "heart of the home". I like the way that sounds.

On to the cupcakes, getting mail is fun especially when its a present or in this case ORGANIC RAW CACAO CHOCOLATES, from UliMana. Yum Yum. I wanted to showcase these yummy treats so I used them as the topping to my chocolate cupcakes. OH YEAH!! These are amazing. I wanted to eat them as soon as I opened the package, but I contained my impulsiveness. Decided to wait for something special to do with them.

I used my GOTO chocolate cake recipe, its good, moist and has never failed me. This time I added a shot of espresso. Just to kick it up a notch. The frosting I usually eye it out and taste along the way, but here is the jist of it, feel free to change it up ( too sugary, not enough cocoa powder, etc...)

3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup organic icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp earth balance margarine
3-4 tbsp vanilla almond milk

With a mixer, blend until fluffy

What is more special then a cupcake topped with a truffle?

Ulimana