Part 127 (1/2)

Caramel-penuche frosting: cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons nonhydrogenated vegan margarine

1 tablespoon mola.s.ses

cup soy creamer or soy milk

2 tablespoons plain or vanilla soy milk powder

Pinch of salt

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

cup chopped, roasted peanuts for sprinkling

Penuche WHAT is penuche and why would anyone put it on a cupcake? Penuche is actually a really old-fas.h.i.+oned American fudge candy, so old school in fact there's no chocolate or cocoa in it. Its deep, caramel flavor is achieved primarily by boiling brown sugar (along with b.u.t.ter and maybe a little vanilla). We skip to the chase in this recipe and use a combination of white sugar and mola.s.ses, because that's all that brown sugar really is. The texture of the frosting does indeed have a dense, smooth homemade fudgy quality that really delivers.

PREHEAT THE oven to 350F and line a 12-cup m.u.f.fin tin with paper cupcake liners.

Leaving the skins on the apples, core and dice them into small pieces (about -inch cubes), for about 1 cups of diced apple.

Heat the brown sugar and margarine in a heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture begins to bubble. Add the apple pieces and stir to coat. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until almost all of the water has evaporated and the apples are lightly caramelized, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before proceeding.

In a large bowl, whisk together the soy milk and lemon juice, and allow to sit for a minute to curdle. Add the canola oil, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla, and beat well. Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg the and stir only until the dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in the sauteed apples along with any remaining juices.

Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters of the way with batter, and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

When the cupcakes are done, remove them from the oven and cool on wire racks.

While they cool, prepare the Caramel-Penuche Frosting: Combine the sugar, margarine, mola.s.ses, soy milk, powdered soy milk, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir and bring to a boil. Allow the mixture to boil and foam for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

When the frosting mixture has cooled slightly and is still a little warm, stir in half the confectioners' sugar and the vanilla, then beat with electric beaters for 2 to 3 minutes, until creamy. Slowly beat in remaining confectioners' sugar until a thick, smooth, fudgelike frosting forms. (The frosting can be spread warm or slightly cooled, but too much cooling will make the frosting too stiff to spread. If this happens, just let it warm to room temperature.) Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

JELLY DONUT CUPCAKES.

MAKES 12 CUPCAKES.

TIME: ABOUT 40 MINUTES.

Here is a treat that defies all logic: it's both a tender cupcake and sugared jelly donut at the same time. They're cute, yummy, and deceptively easy to make, too. No need to use a pastry bag to fill the cupcake in order to create its amazing jelly donut effect; the jam bakes right into it, doing all the work for you. Add a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar and you have yourself one heck of a cupcake moonlighting as a jelly donut.

1 cup soy or rice milk