Bad baking day.

I was on such a good baking run that maybe I got cocky. Today, after three batches of batter, I consider this baking adventure an overall D+ or maybe if I am generous a C-.

It started yesterday with a new vegan chocolate cupcake recipe (batter #1). It SUCKED.
I threw them out.

bad batter 1

Looks can be deceiving:
these are garbage cakes

weird technique of batter 2

vegan buttercream icing

Batter #2. I decided to try a new nonvegan chocolate cupcake batter. Once complete, these tasted much better, but were still disappointing. So I made batter #3, a vegan vanilla.

better

awesome

BAD CAKE #1 -Divvies Chocolate Cupcakes

courtesy of Martha Stewart & Divvies Bakery founder Lori Sandler.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 1 dozen.

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin

with cupcake liners; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa

powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle

attachment, mix together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water

until well combined. Add flour mixture to the mixer and mix

until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a

spatula as necessary. Batter should look and feel more

watery than normal cake batters.

4. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each cup 1/2

to 3/4 full. Transfer to oven and bake, rotating pan halfway

through cooking, until a cake tester inserted into the center

of one of the cupcakes comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

5. Immediately remove cupcakes from muffin tin and

transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before frosting.

(Pretty Good, Cake #2)Chocolate Cupcakes

Recipe by Grace Parisi

ACTIVE: 20 MIN TOTAL TIME: 45 MIN SERVINGS: MAKES 12 CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened

cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 12-

cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter

with the vegetable oil and water over

low heat.

3. In a large bowl, sift the flour with the

sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda

and salt. Add the melted butter

mixture and beat with a handheld

mixer at low speed until smooth. Add

the egg and beat until incorporated,

then add the buttermilk and vanilla

and beat until smooth, scraping the

bottom and side of the bowl. Pour the

batter into the lined muffin tins, filling

them about three-fourths full.

4. Bake the cupcakes in the center of the

oven for about 25 minutes, until

springy and a toothpick inserted in the

center comes out clean. Let the

cupcakes cool slightly, then transfer

them to a rack to cool completely.

Frost and top the cupcakes as desired.