Sunrabbit's Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes With Vegan Cream Cheese Icing

Based on the Post Punk Kitchen's pumpkin muffin recipe, these are vegan, nutritious, and totally delectable! These are my go-to dessert for Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas, or just as a tasty breakfast treat or potluck contribution. Loved by vegans and omnivores alike!

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

• For the cupcakes

• 2 1⁄2 cups  and 2 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 3⁄4 cups  and 2 tbsp  unrefined sugar
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons baking powder, aluminum-free
• 3⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1⁄2 cups pumpkin puree
• 3⁄4 cup  almond milk (may sub any creamy non-dairy milk)
• 6  tablespoons  natural applesauce
• 6  tablespoons coconut oil (may sub extra light tasting olive oil)
• 3  tablespoons pure maple syrup

• For the icing

• 4  ounces  vegan  non-hydrogenated margarine (I like Earth Balance)
• 4  ounces  vegan cream cheese (I like Daiya brand because it is tapioca-based and tastes the best)
• 2  cups  unbleached icing sugar (8.82 oz.)
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Use paper muffin liners or lightly grease muffin tins (recipe makes 24 full-sized or 48 mini cupcakes--I like to do half and half, so 12 full-sized and 24 mini cupcakes).
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices.
3. In a separate bowl, mix pumpkin puree, almond milk, applesauce, coconut oil (heated to liquid), and maple syrup. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix thoroughly by hand.
4. Fill muffin liners 2/3-3/4 full. Bake full-sized cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick or knife inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Bake mini cupcakes for 10-14 minutes. (TIP: If you are doing half full-sized and half mini, fill the full-sized tin first and put it in the oven. Fill the mini tin and put it in the oven when there are 10-14 minutes remaining so both will be done at about the same time.).
5. Allow cupcakes to cool on cooling racks while you prepare the icing.
6. Using a stand or hand mixer, blend all four icing ingredients until smooth and creamy. Fill 16 inch pastry bag and pipe swirls atop each cupcake (be sure cupcakes are cooled completely before icing).
7. NOTE: These will do okay on the countertop or buffet table for a couple of hours, but they keep best for long periods in the refrigerator.