Vegan ginger cupcakes with nonvegan cream cheese icing

(Vegan) Ginger Cupcakes (makes 12)

wet:
*1 1/4 c soy milk
3 T candied ginger, chopped
1 t vanilla extract
1/3 c vegetable oil
*1 t distilled white or apple cider vinegar
2 T blackstrap molasses

dry:
1 2/3 c flour
1 c sugar
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 t each ground cinnamon and ground cardamom
2-3 t ground ginger

*if you don’t have or like soy milk, you can substitute regular milk. Buttermilk would be lovely, but thicker and more acidic, so add some water and omit the vinegar.

Soak the ginger in the soy milk to soften.
Grease/line cups in a muffin pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the dry ingredients. Add the soy milk to the rest of the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Mix wet and dry until thoroughly combined. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake till toothpick poked in center comes out clean. Cool completely before icing.

Icing (nonvegan)

8 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz mascarpone cheese
1 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients and whip until fluffy. Chill until ready to use.

Optional: fold in 1 cup heavy cream, whipped, to make a lighter, fluffier icing

Guinness Stout Ginger Cake

Epicurious | October 2001
by Claudia Fleming
The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern

1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup molasses
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup grapeseed or vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon grated, peeled fresh gingerroot
preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9- X 5-inch loaf pan, line the bottom and sides with parchment, and grease the parchment. Alternatively, butter and flour a 6-cup Bundt pan.

2. In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the stout and molasses and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the baking soda. Allow to sit until the foam dissipates.

3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the eggs and both sugars. Whisk in the oil.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom.

5. Combine the stout mixture with the egg mixture, then whisk this liquid into the flour mixture, half at a time. Add the fresh ginger and stir to combine.

6. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the top springs back when gently pressed. Do not open the oven until the gingerbread is almost done, or the center may fall slightly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

mango salsa

1 large ripe mango, peeled and diced
1/4 c diced red onion
cilantro leaves
juice of 1/2 lime
pinches of salt and sugar

Thanks Meg!

Tahini cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup tahini
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract
1 large egg

Flatten into discs 3 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick (cookies do not spread much) Bake 10 minutes in 350 degree oven.

* try this with a dash of cloves ...

Chewy ginger cookies

2.5 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. ground ginger
1.5 t. baking soda
0.5 t salt
1 t. ground cinnamon
.25 t. ground cloves
.5 t ground cardamom
.75 c oil
.75 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
.25 c. molasses
1/4 c chopped candied ginger
coarse sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients. Set aside. Mix oil, sugar, egg and molasses. Add dry ingredients (1/2 amount at a time). Roll into 2 inch balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes. Cool on rack and store in an airtight container. Freezes well.

peanut butter cookies

www.havecakewilltravel.com

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (63 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (69 g) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (60 g) whole-wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons Ener-g egg replacer or cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons (45 ml) plain soymilk or other nondairy milk
3 tablespoons (45 ml) peanut or canola oil
3 tablespoons (45 ml) whiskey or more nondairy milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (96 g) crunchy or creamy natural peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat, such as Silpat.
In a large bowl, sift flours, egg replacer or cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add sugars.
In a medium bowl, whisk soymilk, oil, whiskey or extra milk, vanilla, and peanut butter, until emulsified.
Fold wet into dry ingredients, using your hands if you have to and adding milk if the dough is dry/crumbly, until the dough is combined and manageable.
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, place on cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies as they do not spread while baking.
Bake for 14-16 minutes, until the cookies are set and golden brown on the edges.
Wait a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 12 cookies

sugar cookie icing

-allrecipes.com

* 4 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1/2 cup shortening
* 5 tablespoons milk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* food coloring