So today is a very special day.
For those of you who are afflicted with selective blindness, or who for whatever reason neglected to read the title, today is the auspicious anniversary of my sweetie/soulmate/love of my life/pookie bear/what have you.
That’s right. Andy turns 22! … not 6, as the candles might lead you to believe. I’m not THAT much of a cradle-robber.
When asked what kind of cake she wanted for her impending birthday, Andy provided me with virtually no specifications other than, “It should have cream cheese frosting.”
Well, okay.
I like to think of these as golden Oreos in cupcake form. Fluffy vanilla cupcakes, cream cheese frosting mixed with crushed sandwich cookies, and the lingering aftertaste of cheap candle wax.
I suppose the latter is optional.
Cupcakes for breakfast. Andy is not complaining.
Although the frosting was my own invention, the cupcakes strictly adhere to my go-to vanilla cupcake recipe, ripped straight from the pages of my weathered copy of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. As such, it is unapologetically glutinous. Let’s just say that Andy was more than happy to usurp my position as bowl-licker.
ingredients
for the cupcakes
1 c soymilk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 c flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c oil
3/4 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
for the frosting
4oz (1/2 pkg) cream cheese or cream cheese substitute
12 golden Oreos or other sandwich cookie
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 tbsp soymilk
3 – 3 1/2 c powdered sugar
directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together soymilk and vinegar and set aside to curdle.
2. In a separate, larger bowl, combine oil, sugar, vanilla, and curdled soymilk. Add dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, & salt) and stir to combine.
3. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full and bake for 20-22 minutes at 350°.
4. Meanwhile, make your frosting! Using a hand mixer, cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Add vanilla and soymilk, and beat until fluffy. Add crushed cookies (I used the meat-tenderizer-and-plastic-bag method to crush mine, but it depends on how finely crushed you prefer them) and continue beating until thoroughly incorporated.
5. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost and serve!