Turning Desk Decorations into Cupcakes

Some of you may notice tomorrow that the two pumpkins that were on my desk are gone! With the Thanksgiving Feast tomorrow, I thought we ought to give them new life, in the form of delicious pumpkin cupcakes! "Processing" pumpkin is easier than you'd imagine... and fun! And eating cupcakes ain't that bad either. Try one tomorrow and let me know what you think!
- Karen

Recipe for the pumpkin cupcakes:

1/4 cup soymilk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 and 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup vegan granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with liners.

Whisk apple cider vinegar into soymilk and let sit to curdle.

Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl.

Mix in oil, vanilla, pumpkin and soymilk mixture into dry. Mix until combined. The batter is a bit thick. Add some soymilk, if need be.

Fill up lines about 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool!

Vegan "buttercream" icing:

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening [Earth Balance is best.]

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margarine [Earth Balance again.]
3 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if clumpy
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain soymilk

Beat the shortening and margarine together with handheld blender until well combined and fluffy.
Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes.
Add the vanilla and soy milk, and beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until fluffy.