Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Mason had his Second Birthday last week - He's a big boy now! We celebrated with vegan cupcakes. His sister helped him pick out which ones we had at his party - Cookies and Cream! This recipe was simple to make, and best of all, doesn't make too much - only 12 (I don't like having alot of this kind of stuff around because then I eat it).

We loved them.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
From Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World
Moskowitz and Romero

1 C Soy Milk
1 t apple cider vinegar
3/4 C canola oil
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t almond, chocolate or more vanilla extract
1 C all-purpose flour
1/3 C cocoa powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 C chopped chocolate sandwich cookies (I used Newman-O's as suggested)

Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin tin with cupcake papers.
Whisk together soy milk and vinegar and set aside for a few mins to curdle.
Add the sugar, oil, extracts to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add in two batches to the wet ingredients and beat till no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are okay). Stir in 1 C chopped cookies.

Pour into liners, filling 3/4 of way. Bake for 18-20 mins until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely. Ice with buttercream icing recipe below and garnish with a half of cookie on top:

Vegan Fluffy Buttercream Icing

1/2 C nonhydrogenated shortening
1/2 C nonhydrogenated margarine (I use Earth Balance Sticks)
3 1/2 C confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 C plain soy milk or creamer (I used vanilla soy milk, because thats what I had)
1/2 C mashed chocolate sandwich cookies.

Beat shorthing and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for 3 more minutes. Add the vanilla and soy milk, beat for another 5-7 mins until fluffy.