Purple Cow Cupcakes

This is a recipe I found in the book, "The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life: Cruelty-Free Crafts, Recipes, Beauty Secrets and More" by Melisser Elliott. I wanted to try some new recipes and this book is a great read. These cupcakes are awesome and great for any occasion whether you're making them for a party, a bake sale or just to share among friends.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• Grape Cupcakes

• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (11 1/2ounce) can  frozen grape juice concentrate, thawed
• 1⁄3 cup canola oil
• 1⁄4 cup  plain  soy yogurt or 1⁄4 cup  coconut yogurt
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract

• Melted Ice Cream Frosting

• 3  cups confectioners' sugar
• 3⁄4 cup  Earth Balance margarine (or other vegan margarine)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2  whole vanilla beans
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons soymilk

Directions

1. Grape Cupcakes:
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line 15 standard muffin tins with cupcake papers. In a large bowl sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder and baking soda and whisk to distribute the dry goods throughout the mixture.
3. In a separate bowl, stir the grape juice, oil, yogurt and vanilla together and pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir just enough to combine. It's better to leave a few lumps rather than make the mistake of overmixing and winding up with tough cupcakes. A few lumps will ensure that you have soft moist tasty cupcakes.
4. Evenly portion the batter into your paper cups, fill each about two-thirds to three-quarters of the way. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Check with a clean knife or toothpick. If they aren't quite done let them bake for an extra five minutes. Make sure the cupcakes are cool before you frost them.
5. Depending on how you portion the mixture you could probably make more than 15 cupcakes.
6. "Melted Ice Cream" Frosting:
7. To make the frosting, place the margarine in a stand mixer. (I didn't have a mixer when I made these cupcakes so I had to make the frosting by hand with a fork.) Beat the margarine briefly to soften it. Add the sugar and salt, start on the lowest speed. Turn on the mixer for just one minute to incorporate the two.
8. Use a knife to slice the vanilla beans in two down the middle. Scrape the seeds out by dragging the knife down the cut centers. Add the seeds to the mixing bowl along with the soy milk and slowly begin to mix again.