vegansaurus!

Cupcakefest is gonna rock New Jersey on Saturday! Go eat cake!  »

The Nico Blues will play to an audience of cupcakes on Saturday. Minus 10 for the moose on the right wall, but plus 30 for the carrots on the back wall. Carrots!

Sweet Avenue Bake Shop—which we hear is awesome from reliable ‘sauruses (see what I did there?)—is co-sponsoring an all-day music and CUPCAKE festival in New Jersey this Saturday. Screw the music, I want cake, but to each his own I suppose.

Cupcake Festival 2011 is FREE (though I bet the cake isn’t UPDATE from Danielle at Sweet Avenue: “While we’ll be selling regular-sized cupcakes at our shop all day, every Cupcakefest we hand out thousands of free mini cupcakes all day!” SCORE!) and proceeds from raffles and other such shenanigans will go to an animal shelter in New Jersey. The poor creatures are already in New Jersey, let’s help them, shall we?

Full details about the event here, and the scoop on the bands here. East Coast, you owe it to yourself to go jam with cupcakes. Did I mention cupcakes? Om nom nom.

Two San Francisco vegan events to be aware of, OK?  »

First, this Saturday there’s a vegan cupcake-off in Oakland and you’re invited.

And on Thursday, June 16, Patxi’s is having a VEGAN PIZZA FEST. Plus, they have a contest that’s up beforehand where you can win prizes for creating magical vegan pizzas. Or something like that, I don’t know the total details, but go read about it!

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT. CUPCAKES AND PIZZA, what more do you people want!? Make it happen, cap’n!

For further excitement… here’s a CUPCAKE:

and some PIZZA:

Eat this NOW: cupcakes and pie in a jar from Fox & Fawn Bakehouse!  »

You gotta eat these cupcakes right now. Fox & Fawn Bakehouse make honestly some of the best cupcakes I’ve ever eaten in my life! I know I say that almost every time I write about anything (best ass-kicking of my life! best lobotomy of my life! best shit sandwich of my life!) but for real, I really really really mean it this time, for real! The cake was spongy and light, and the frosting was sweet but not cloying. Deeeeeelicious. Man, I could eat a few right now and that’s no joke! These are the cupcakes you wish you could make but you just don’t have the skillz to pay the cupcake billz. Speaking of honesty, I honestly have no clue how my fingers haven’t fallen off from all the typing I’ve done in the past month. The fact that I can still walk upright and (kinda) speak English are miracles.

Anyway, you will not regret getting these cupcakes into your mouth, so go ahead and order from them immediately. Oh, and the pie in a jar? RIDICULOUS. It’s a PIE in a JAR and it’s the perfect wedding favor, housewarming gift, present to yourself for making it through the day. Also, Fox and Fawn Bakehouse prices are extremely reasonable! $24 for a dozen is only $2 per cupcake and that’s way less than what you spend in a store. THE DEAL! It is AMAZING! So order a bunch of stuff and fan them on Facebook and generally just eat the shit out of their goodies because even though I got some for free (doesn’t guarantee a good review or even a review period), I’m totally planning on ordering cupcakes from them and PAYING. This is the Real Deal, people, because I don’t like to pay for shit, ask anyone. I mean, ANYONE.

Oh and if you’re not into special ordering things (I don’t know why this would be the case but maybe you’re too poor or don’t think you’re special enough), you can track them down at the Benicia Farmers’ Market, where they’ve been selling out!

Plus, look at this damn logo:

COME ON SO CUTE.

[Cupcake photo by Damien Jay! Thanks, Damien!]

Recipe: chocolate-raspberry orgasm cupcakes  »

Who doesn’t get off on chocolate with raspberry? Aliens? Orcs? Total jerks? No matter, because you’re going to love this sweet, tart variation on Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s classic chocolate cupcake:
This photo is designed to show the filling. It’s so much yummier than it looks, promise.

Chocolate raspberry cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
1 cup “milk”
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Filling
Jar of raspberry jam, 8 ounces or so

The Icing
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
1/4 cup Earth Balance, room temperature
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. “milk”
Whatever raspberry jam is left over after filling the cupcakes

Instructions
Crank that oven to 350 degrees, and prep your muffin pan with liners (don’t simply grease the pan; those liners will help hold your shit together later).

For the cupcakes, combine the milk and vinegar in a large bowl. Stir (or sift if you’re fancy) the dry ingredients together until well mixed. Add to the wet mixture the rest of the cupcake ingredients. Dump the dry mixture into the wet in at least two batches, and beat.

Pour batter into the liners. Bake 18 to 20 minutes; do the toothpick test to make sure they’re done.

Once they’re cool, you’re gonna hollow out the cupcakes so you can fill ‘em. There are two ways to do this:
1. Stick your finger into the cupcake through the top. Push down, and press your fingertips against the walls of each cupcake without making the hole on top bigger. This one is my favorite.

2. Use a knife to cut an inverted cone out of the cupcake. Cut the point off the cone, and put it in your mouth. Set the rounded part aside. You’ll pop it back on top after filling.

To fill the cupcakes, pour the jar of raspberry jam into a sandwich bag. Cut the corner of the bag to make a little spout. Squirt as much jam as you can into each cupcake.

To make the icing, use an electric mixer to cream the shortening and margarine together until fluffy. Add the sugar, and beat for three to five more minutes. Put the milk, vanilla, and jam in, and beat for about five more minutes.

Spread the icing on top of the cupcakes. Impress your friends, or eat all of them yourself. Feel oh-so-satisfied.

Ms. Cupcake opening in London  »

On Friday, Apr. 1, Ms. Cupcake, an all-vegan cupcake shop is opening in Brixton, London! Yes, that’s a bit far away. Still very exciting! The whole internet is a’buzz about it. I’m just excited for this glimpse into Laura Beck’s future! Isn’t that totally her in 20 years? She’s probably bedazzling a cupcake hat as we speak. And a matching one for Hazel!