Mint Chocolate Lovecakes

I was inspired to make cupcakes today after a long day of school and lab. They are mint chocolate cupcakes. But now it's Bedtime!

Chocolate mint cupcakes

Cupcake:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup soymilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon mint extract

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 12-muffin tin with paper cupcake liners. Sift together flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, baking soda and salt. in another bowl combine the rice milk, oil, maple syrup, sugar, vinegar and vanilla. Beat at medium speed for about two minutes. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat for about another minute to combine. Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to fully cool.

Mint icing:
1/4 cup Earth Balance
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup or less soymilk
1 teaspoon mint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
green food coloring

Cream the shortening for a few minutes until soft. Add 1 cup of the powdered sugar and a few splashes of the soy milk. Mix to incorporate and continue to alternate until all the powdered sugar is used up and the frosting is at the desired consistency. Add vanilla and mint.

Ganache:

2 Tablespoons soycreamer or soymilk
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Melt chocolate and soy milk in a double boiler or in the microwave until smooth and runny; be careful not to burn or the chocolate will seize up and become bitter.

Chocolate Hearts

Melted some chocolate and fill a small plastic bag. Cut a small hole at the tip and pipe some hearts onto a piece of waxed paper. Repeat with white chocolate . After letting it harden (on a cold cold porch), peel the hearts off of the waxed paper with a toothpick or two. Fingers will melt them.

Assemble:
Use a piping bag with a large round tip to frost cupcakes. Place a dollop of ganach on top. Pipe another dollop of frosting on top. Add chocolate hearts.