"It tastes like milk chocolate"

Liz (left) wanted me to quote her about the chocolate frosting tasting like milk chocolate. Chelsea (right) was the birthday girl.

I enjoy making cupcakes for people when I have the time. When my friend Chelsea asked me to make some for a birthday gathering, I was sad to say no cause I was just too busy. Luckily she was having two celebrations and I could help out for the other one. I try to come up with slightly different flavors and I knew she liked chocolate and disliked fruit. I was going to go with coconut, but then realized she is not a fan of coconut (expect when it is in my cookies I found out). I did have almond slices though and a little bit of cocoa powder. I made 18 cupcakes and brought them to a bar where the birthday fun was to happen.

There were more cupcakes then people though, so Chelsea went table to table offering strangers the cupcakes. People loved them, and I loved them loving them! It makes me want to bake stuff once in awhile just to give to strangers and see their happy faces. A friend recently made some cupcakes and left some on my doorstep to greet me from my day at work. It made me so delighted! Cupcakes really do have the power to make people joyful, and I am going to have to use that power more often. It is just the right thing to do.

Almond Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Almond Cake:
½ cup Soy Margarine
1 cup Organic Raw Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
½ cup Silken Tofu
1 ½ cups Coconut Milk
2 tsp Vanilla (or 1 tsp Almond Extract)
2 ½ cups Unbleached White Flour
1 Tb Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
1/2 cup Sliced Almonds

Chocolate Frosting:
1/2 cup Margarine
3 cups Powdered Sugar
2 Tb Cocoa Powder
2-5 Tb. Coconut Milk

Cake: Cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and blend, then the tofu and blend some more. Pour in the coconut milk and blend until incorporated. Add the flour, baking power and salt and blend until just mixed in. Fill greased muffin tins, or cupcake cups about 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes. When cupcakes are done, the top should spring back when lightly touched.

Frosting: Blend the powdered sugar, cocoa and margarine together. Add coconut milk, a little at a time, until you reach the desired texture. Frost cupcakes and add a few almond slices on top if desired. Makes 18 cupcakes