Pink Love Cupcakes

This year we decided to make heart shaped cupcakes, using my recipe for Luke’s Angel Cake. I bought heart shaped mini cupcake molds. Fill them up half way with batter in order to get the perfect heart (and 6 more cupcakes.)

To make the frosting, I use the water from cooking beets. Yes, beets! They are probably my most favorite vegetable in the world anyway so cooking them for their water meant beet salad for lunch!

Cupcakes (makes 18 heart shaped cupcakes)
1 1/2 cups flour (all purpose or whole wheat)
1 cup vegan cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 375.

Sift the dry ingredients together in a big bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the water and oil.

Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix thoroughly. When combined, add the lemon juice, stir in quickly and ladle into cupcake pan.

Bake for 25 minutes or until cupcakes test done. Let cool.

Pink Buttercream Frosting (makes enough for a dozen cupcakes)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup Earth Balance, softened
2 tablespoons vegan milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
1/2 teaspoon beet water *
Pinch salt

* Peel and chop up one big beet. Boil it until it is soft. Drain and reserve the liquid for the frosting. Use the beet in a salad or juice. Too much beet water will cause the frosting to separate, as I have learned through experimenting. This is just enough and the hint of pink makes these cupcakes special.

Sift the powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the softened Earth Balance, milk, vanilla powder, food coloring and pinch of salt. Blend using a hand mixer until there are no more lumps and the frosting is creamy.

Use a frosting spatula to frost the cupcakes. Enjoy!