Of all the things I make, this is the recipe that I get asked about the most.  It all began about a year ago when my friends, Julie and Wes, made me the most delicious vegan cupcakes with butterscotch frosting.  (Also, check out Julie and Wes’s blog here, they’re not vegan, but they’re awesome!)

After that, I became somewhat obsessed with making crazy or wacky cake, mostly because it is the most moist and delicious cake ever, but also because it’s fun to tell people about how the recipe originated during World War II when ingredients like milk and eggs were scarce.

All was well until my brother-in-law had to switch to a gluten-free diet for health reasons.  Now, what’s a girl to do?  Of course it wouldn’t be the MORE way to leave someone out, so I set to adjusting the wacky cake recipe to be gluten-free.

My first try came out better than I had expected, but I wasn’t quite satisfied.  So, for my next batch, I tried subbing half the water with coffee, a trick I learned from my friend, Anne, pastry chef and vegetarian extraordinaire.  The results were just what I was looking for–a vegan and gluten free cupcake that you’d never suspect was either.

The mint-chocolate combo is a favorite in my family so I went for that here, but these cupcakes are delicious with all kinds of frosting.  Try them with peanut butter frosting, butterscotch frosting, or a standard buttercream.  Not into gluten-free?  Just use the same amount of regular flour and skip the xantham gum.

Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes About 15 Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tbsp. white vinegar
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup coffee
6 tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Make the coffee and mix it with the cold water.  Let it sit so that it cools to room temp before you add it to the cupcake mix.

Sift together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Don’t skip the sifting.  I’ve found that it is especially important when working with the gluten-free flour.

Add the wet ingredients and mix.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way.

Bake 15 minutes.

Be sure that you allow the cupcakes to cool before frosting.

Mint Frosting
1/2 cup earth balance or margarine at room temp
2 1/2 cups powered sugar
1-2tbsp. almond milk (or your favorite nondairy milk)
1/2 tsp mint extract
3-5 drops food coloring

Beat the earth balance until smooth.  Add the mint extract and 1 tbsp. almond milk and beat again.  Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue to beat.  Once all of the powdered sugar is added, add 3 drops of food coloring and beat until color is even through out.

Add more food coloring and milk until desired consistency and color is achieved.  Enjoy!