Week 3 Dish 1: Vegan apple spice cupcakes

It's week 3 and I'm still going strong! Yay! Though I know I'm a bit later than usual updating the blog this week - sorry guys, it's turning out to be a busy week. Last week was a pretty good one; I gave some of my blackberry bars to those I was on firms with as well as to some relatives, and everyone loved them!! Nothing like a bit of praise, appreciation and an empty plate to make you feel good and know all the scratches from the berry bush were worthwhile! I also finished my cardiology firm and feel pretty confident with murmurs (or at least as confident as I was in 3rd year), and my AF knowledge has definitely increased. And saw patients with marfan syndrome, one of those eponymous syndromes that we seem to remember so well - I'm sure those of you who are medical students will agree. It's very exciting :p. So now on to my endocrinology firm, wish me luck (it's going OK so far).

This week I've decided to do two apple recipes because my mum was given a big bag of cooking apples that need to be used. It makes me miss the two huge apple trees that we used to have in the garden, and of course my mums apple pis and apple curry (sounds weird but soooo delicious). I thought apple recipes would be perfect to give an autumn feel now that September has begun (though the weather is still gorgeous this week). So the first one is vegan apple spice cupcakes, enjoy!

Makes about 18
Ingredients
For the apples
3 apples, peeled and diced (I used cooking apples but if you want a sweeter cupcake then go for eating apples)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp canola oil (aka rapeseed oil)/ vegan margarine

For the cupcakes
1 cup soyamilk
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup canola oil (aka rapeseed oil)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Method

1. Toss apples in the spices and flour. 
2. Heat the brown sugar and oil/ margarine until slightly bubbling, add in the apples and cook until caramelised, soft and most of the liquid has been cooked off (~10 minutes). The kitchen will smell sooo divine while you do this - if only we could capture smells in photos!
3. Preheat oven to 180°C and line your muffin tin with cupcake cups.
4. Mix the soyamilk and lemon juice in a large bowl and let it sit for a minute until it curdles. Add the oil, sugar and vanilla extract.
5. Sift together all the spices, flour and baking soda and powder. Gently stir into mil mixture.
6. Fold in the cooled apple and fill cupcake cups almost completely full (these don't rise much so they won't spill over).
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes. These stay very moist inside with a crunchy top so a toothpick put inside may not come out completely clean, but that's fine!

Original recipe: Apple spice cupcakes

These cupcakes are so moreish because they just hit the right spot and aren't overly sweet - try them and you'll see! The next recipe will be either apple bread or apple tart...hmm difficult choice! What would you prefer to see? Let me know! (I used my new triangle silicon cups - so cool!)