Star's Retirement Cupcakes

A friend of mine retired today.  Twenty-one years of service!  She didn't want a big to-do, just a simple get together with some cupcakes.  Red Velvet cupcakes to be exact.  And maybe an eggless one for her granddaughter.  Eggless cupcakes - I'm intrigued.  Turned out they are super easy to make (thanks to Julie L. for the recipe!) and apparently quite delicious.

Of course, I had to have fun decorations for the cupcakes (any excuse to buy more baking supplies) so I made chocolate confetti and chocolate stars.

Candy Confetti

Eggless Chocolate Cake

Red Velvet

Star Attraction

Like always, I made changes to the recipe - that I didn't write down.  Here's what I think I did for the Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes.  They turned out very light and fluffy, with a good chocolate taste and small crumb.  You can't taste the vinegar but the coffee flavor comes through.

Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes: 15 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pulverized salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cold coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cup with paper liners.

Mix all dry ingredients.  Mix all wet ingredients until well blended, add to dry ingredient mixture.  

Spoon into prepared cupcake tin, only fill half way.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cupcakes comes out clean.  Cool in pans for about five (5) minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.  Frost with cream cheese frosting, or try Julie's frosting recipe:

Frosting
1 pound (box) pure cane powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick butter, softened

Beat sugar, milk, vanilla and butter in a large bowl or stand mixer for two (2) minutes, scraping bowl often.  For thinner consistency add more milk a little at a time.

I'll leave transcribing the Red Velvet cupcake recipe for another time.