Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes

It's official, I'm half way done with pharmacy school!!!  It's crazy how fast time has flown by.  Over the past year and a half I have had the opportunity to learn from some pretty influential professors, and unfortunately as the end of the semester wrapped up, my fellow classmates and I had to say farewell to one of our professors as he moved on to continue his teaching career at another University.  Being that he is a HUGE Star Wars fan (all of his lectures had to include a Star Wars picture) we threw him a Star Wars themed going away party.  Of course I was tasked with making the cupcakes and had to make sure the were vegan since our professor is vegan.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add oil, vinegar, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix.  Finally add in water and mix until batter is smooth.  Line muffin tin with 12 liners.  Fill each liner about three-fourths full.  Bake for 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cupcakes cool completely on wire rack.

Vegan Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup 75% vegetable oil natural buttery spread (I used Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread)
1/4 cup nonhydrogenated organic shortening (I used Spectrum Organic All Vegetable Shortening)
3 tbsp + 1 tsp soymilk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl combine powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder.  In a large mixing bowl beat buttery spread and shortening until smooth.  Gradually add the powdered sugar mixture and mix well.  Finally add soy milk and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes