Organic Vegan Green Granny Smith Cupcakes

For April’s Cupcake Hero contest there wasn’t a specific ingredient. Instead, in honor of Earth Day the theme was “Green”. So I knew that what ever I made needed to be organic & Vegan. Beyond that; I had no idea what to do. I had decided to do a Persian cupcake with cardamom, saffron, and pomegranate juice. But it ended up tasting like ass. So, I went to the grocery store hoping that I would be struck by a stroke of inspiration. And there they were green organic granny smith apples…. UREKA!!! So, there is the story. These bad boys turned out just like I had imagined that they would. Moist and very very yummy! Great apple flavor… and is not all dense and dry like a muffin would be. No sir!!! You can definitely tell that this is a cupcake and NOT a muffin!!! I love the sweet and tart combination. And even my daughter liked the cream cheese frosting…. and she is a total meat lover. No soy anything for her - but I fooled her! Muuaahhhahahaaha I am SO evil!! The cupcakes themselves had a nice rise and did not deflate… that is super important for me as it is a pet peeve. I hate craters in my cupcakes!

For this challenge I made a special trip to Central Market, and I bought everything that I could find that said “Organic” on it. I had organic flour, oatmeal, sugar (who knew), apples, pecans, juice, powdered sugar……. everything in this cupcake is organic!

Anyways, meat lovers and vegans can now live in perfect harmony… behold the Green Apple Cupcakes!

Vegan Green Apple Cupcakes

makes 30 cupcakes

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh organic Granny Smith apples
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ½ cup oatmeal
• 1 cup organic apple juice
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 2 cups organic evaporated cane juice (sugar)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 6 ounces plain soy yogurt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Peal and chop apples using a food processor on pulse. You want a coarse chop… not apple sauce, and set aside. In a electric mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment mix together: canola oil, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, soy yogurt, vanilla extract, baking soda. Add flour and cane juice (sugar); and mix on slow. In a slow steady stream add apple juice and continue to mix on slow. Fold in apples, oatmeal, and pecan pieces. Pour into cupcake cups and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, softened
• 2 pounds powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup chopped pecans

In an electric mixing bowl fitted with a paddle cream together cream cheese and margarine until smooth and creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar 2 cups at a time, mixing and scraping down the sides. Add vanilla, and mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Gently fold in chopped pecans.

Streusel Topping

• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup organic evaporated cane juice (sugar)
• ¼ cup pecan pieces
• ¼ cup non-hydrogenated margarine, softened

Preheat oven to 450ºF. In a medium size bowl add flour, sugar, and margarine. Mix together with a fork to create crumbs. Add pecans and toss. Spread out evenly onto cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil. Bake until golden brown. Once cooled toss and break up crumbs, use as topping for cream cheese frosting.