Thursday, August 28, 2008

Holy Molé! Iron Cupcakes!

For my first-ever Iron Cupcake: Earth Challenge, I created Holy Molé Vegan Chocolate-Chili Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream:


In case you don't know about Iron Cupcake: Earth, it's an awesome monthly cupcake challenge/contest in which bakers create a cupcake recipe based around a specified ingredient. As you can tell from my Mexican-molé-inspired cupcakes, this first challenge was chili pepper.

These cuppies are based on the traditional molé sauce, but unlike the common savory version, my molé doesn't contain nasty stuff like chicken broth, garlic, or onions (nothing against garlic and onions, but um, not in my cupcakes please). Instead, I tossed some melted dark chocolate, vegan margarine, soymilk, cinnamon, ground almonds, raisins, and of course, three tablespoons of homemade ground ancho chili powder into the food processor.

The result was DEE-LI-CIOUS!!! I know cause I licked the bowl. Then I mixed that sauce with whole-wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar and Holy Molé cupcakes were born!

I topped them with the cinnamon buttercream to really bring out the cinnamon flavor in the cupcakes. And I garnished with a cut-out pepper flower and extra ancho powder.

This was my first time ever creating my own cake recipe from scratch! And now I feel so proud of myself. I didn't even know I could do that! I can't wait to see what the next challenge will be.

By the way, this is a contest so you can totally vote for me (or whichever cupcake you think sounds/looks the best) if you feel so inclined. Voting opens Sunday at No One Puts Cupcake In a Corner and runs through September 4th.

We're competing to win some awesome prizes, like cupcake art by Cakespy, vintage aprons by Jessie Steele Aprons, super-handy cupcake trays from The Cupcake Courier, and stuff from Taste of Home.

Also, if you want in on the action next month, head to No One Puts Cupcake In a Corner and sign up! The next ingredient will be announced September 5th! Happy Cupcaking!

25 comments:

VeganCowGirl said...

Bianca!!!!!! My God Woman! You created the most delicious looking cupcake EVER! I love love love the reconditioned mole. Fabo.

Best of luck...I would pay serious cash for one of those little puppies.

Anonymous said...

This is so beautiful! I'm so glad you did a molé...I wanted to somehow incorporate the molé thing, but I started getting too many ideas and had to simplify. That frosting needs to be tasted now!

Brad and Ahnah said...

Yum!!! That is the most beautiful and tasty looking cupcake I have ever seen!!!

Btw, I so have to go to Pancho's soon to try that spinach pizza.

jessy said...

Bianca - your cupcake = beauuuuuuuuutiful! and sooooo tasty looking, too! oh my goodness! yay! i would have licked the bowl, too! that's one hell-uv-a glorious cupcake, fo 'sho!

Anonymous said...

Hold on...let me go get a napkin so I can wipe up my drool.


hehe ok, these cupcakes look so delicious! I love the flavor combo and cinnamon? yes please!!!

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Bianca, that cupcake is STELLAR!!! Perfect for Iron Cupcake.

Vegan_Noodle said...

Woohoo for making a mole cupcake!! It looks so delicious, man with all these excellent looking vegan ICE entries, I'm gonna have a hard time voting for myself ;-)
Oh, and I love the little cutout made of chili...

J said...

Holy Mole is right Bianca! Yum! I love this cupcake challenge since, of course, it involved chiles! Wow, this is really creative, gorgeous, and sounds mouth watering.

Rachel@oneprettything.com said...

Very creative, and I love that it's vegan! I'm doing a roundup of my favorite contest entries on my blog today and this is one of them!

Anonymous said...

This recipe must, must, must go in your cookbook. I know it's a little more tex mex than southern, but it looks too delicious to ignore! Great job on the first ICE challenge. I can't wait to see what you come up with in the future!

Mean Mel said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mean Mel said...

i actually love them reminded me of mexican hot chocolate

Jen said...

nice. veddy nice indeed.

Anonymous said...

That is awesome. I joined the iron cupcake challenge this week, so I am looking forward to what they have coming up in September. The cupcake sounds delicious.

Marisa L. S. said...

What an interesting combination! Your cupcake looks and sounds delicious!

ChocolateCoveredVegan said...

I want one SO BAD. Please quit your job and come be my personal cupcke baker.

Josie Pussicat said...

That is a beautiful picture! I like your blog!

River (Wing-It Vegan) said...

Your creativity blows me away! This is beyond awesome - you have my vote!

Green Eyes, Green Heart said...

I am going to echo vegancowgirl..... NEED recipe NOW.

Lisa (Show Me Vegan) said...

Bianca, your recipe is inspired! Great ingredients and gorgeous presentation. Congrats on your first cupcake creation.

Chelsea said...

That is beautiful!!! And sounds delicious! I am totally voting for you :)

Melisser; the Urban Housewife said...

They're adorable!!!

Jillian of Bitchin' Vegan Kitchen said...

DAMN that is a nice cupcake. I just linkity linked to you in my blog :)

Jillian of Bitchin' Vegan Kitchen said...

DAMN that is a nice cupcake. I just linkity linked to you in my blog :)

Lindsay (Happy Herbivore) said...

WOW. thats all i can muster.