Organic Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint for Peter Rabbit Party

My 5 year old daughter Alexis had a Peter Rabbit theme party, and I made these to look like little growing plants.  They would be cute in mini flower pots if you can find them!  This is the first recipe of vegan cupcakes that my whole family loved!

Vegan Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients:
 

Cake Flour - 1 1/2 cups ( See how the cake flour can be made in my description below.)

Sugar - 1  cup

Black Cocoa Powder (unsweetened) - 5 Tablespoons

Baking Soda - 1 teaspoon

Salt - 1/2 teaspoon

Water - 1/2 cup

Coffee - 1/2 cup (does not need to be strong, and can be hot, it doesn't matter)

Oil - 8 tbsp

Apple Cider Vinegar - 2 Tablespoons

REAL Vanilla Extract - 2 teaspoons (or more if you are like me and really love vanilla)

(FOR CAKE FLOUR, I made my own:

for each cup of flour in the recipe you need to remove 2 Tablespoons of the flour and instead put in 2 Tablespoons of organic cornstarch, then SIFT several times. Very important!)

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line 12 cupcake liners.

2.  In a large bowl whisk all the dry ingredients.

3.  In a small bowl, whisk all the liquid ingredients.

4.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Whisk until everything is well mixed. Do not over mix.

5. Fill the cupcake liner about 2/3rd full.

6. Bake for about 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcake center comes out clean. (Few crumbs clinging is absolutely fine... as it will be moist)

7.  Cool the cupcakes completely before you frost,  so that they are nicely set.

Frosting Ingredients:

This time, I used these ingredients and  I just mixed them all together in the Kitchenaid stand mixer until the consistency of the frosting was right, and I liked the taste of it - adjusting it as was necessary.   

Vegan Cream Cheese

Powdered Sugar

Black Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)

Real Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Almond Milk

Chocolate Cookie Crumbs (made by pulsing chocolate cookies in a food processor or blender)

Mint Sprigs

Blend the frosting, and possibly place in the fridge to cool down and firm up.

Frost the cooled cupcakes.

Sprinkle with Chocolate Cookie Crumbs

Stick a toothpick in (and take out immediately) each cupcake to make a tiny hole.

Stick one Mint Sprig in each cupcake.

Enjoy!