You Never Need a Reason to Make Cupcakes

Weekends. Aahhh, weekends. As someone who appreciates sleeping in, lounging around all day in pajamas, and brunch (because it's just an excuse to eat sweet and savory foods at the same time), weekends have pretty much always rocked. Ever since my boarding school days, when I had classes and sports practice/games on Saturdays, I have grown to really appreciate my time away from the normal routine. However, I've quickly realized in the last month that weekends come to mean a hell of a lot more once you're out in the working world.

What? You guys don't frolic around Harlem on the weekends, stopping to take a pic with Freddy D?!

Now, as I only have three months left to enjoy the blissfully wonderful class schedule of a second semester senior in college, I have taken it upon myself to reflect on what awaits me in the big bad real world that exists one step beyond receiving my diploma: it's not pretty. Both my roommates leave the apartment (one in pantyhose and heels – shudder) in the morning and return home at the end of the day, frustrated and uninspired by their menial employment.

Moral of this story? Fuck excuses, fuck birthdays, fuck rational thought. Just make cupcakes for the hell of it. You don't need a reason, and they're often better if you have none. Just scamper off to Whole Foods like a deranged addict (wait, is that just me?) and bake your little heart out. Because we all deserve an escape from the mundane.

P.S. new shoes from your mom help too

So. These fluffy, moist (sorry all you moist haters) little pillows of deliciousness were brought in to celebrate making it through another week. It's a basic vanilla cupcake that's probably the best vanilla cake I've had since going vegan, topped with a salty, but still incredibly sweet, caramel frosting. This is what sugar comas are made of folks. Embrace, enjoy, and celebrate absolutely nothing!

Salted Caramel Cupcakes (from Chloe Coscarelli's Chloe's Vegan Desserts)*

(Makes 12 cupcakes)

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup almond milk

½ cup canola oil

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line or grease your cupcake tins. Blah blah blah.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: almond milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.
• Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until combined.
• Fill the cupcake tins about 2/3 full with batter and bake for 20 minutes

* This recipe may seem insanely familiar if you've perused my chocolate cupcake recipe from last week. These basic chocolate and vanilla cupcake recipes always yield scrumptious results from very little effort.

Caramel Frosting

½ cup Earth Balance

1 cup dark brown sugar

¼ cup almond milk (I needed more)

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups powdered sugar

Sea salt, for sprinkling

• In a medium saucepan, melt Earth Balance and whisk in brown sugar, almond milk, and salt.
• Bring to a gentle boil and let boil for 3-4 minutes.
• Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and let cool (I put it aside for 20-ish minutes).
• Once cool, slowly beat the caramel mixture with the powdered sugar using a hand mixer (When I did this it produced a crumbly mess so I took Chloe's suggestion and added in a couple of tablespoons of almond milk which smoothed it out into a recognizable frosting).
• Beat on high until smooooooooth.
• Optional: I threw my bowl of frosting into the freezer for 20-ish minutes to firm it up a bit. There's nothing worse than going to assemble your cupcakes and having the frosting slide down the cupcake because it's too warm or too runny.
• Once the frosting is firm, spread it generously on the cupcakes and sprinkle those bad boys with some sea salt to give them that extra kick!

Bonus:

if these cupcakes last the weekend they can serve as an incentive for making it through your mopey/manic/mundane Monday! Coming home to this little treat will no doubt put a smile on your face :)