Vegan Elvis Cupcakes

This recipe came from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World, but I made a small modification with the frosting (using much less, trust me, it doesn't need much). No one will believe you when you tell them they're vegan. The cupcakes taste like moist banana bread. Double frosting recipe to create cupcakes like the ones in the photo. My favorite vegan margarines to use for baking include Earth Balance and Nucoa (in the tub, although it's been impossible to find lately).

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• Cupcakes

• 1⁄2 cup  mashed banana (over ripe)
• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄3 cup canola oil or 1⁄3 cup  vegetable oil
• 2⁄3 cup  rice milk or 2⁄3 cup soymilk
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract

• Frosting

• 1⁄4 cup margarine, softened
• 2  tablespoons shortening
• 1⁄3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 -2  tablespoon soymilk

Directions

1. Cake:
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your pan with paper liners.
3. Throw your mashed banana in a blender or or just smash it into oblivious with a fork. Just try to get the lumps out.
4. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar into a large bowl, mix well.
5. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the oil, soy or rice milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and mashed banana. Create a well in the dry ingredients and fold in wet ingredients, but don�t over mix or you�ll get tough cupcakes. Small lumps are fine. Fill liners 2/3 full. Bake 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
6. Frosting:
7. With an electric mixer, cream together margarine and shortening until smooth. Add peanut butter and vanilla, beat until very smooth. Beat in confectioners sugar, mixture will be very stiff (You may need to add an extra 1/8 cup confectioners sugar). Dribble in soy milk a little at a time, beating continuously until frosting is pale and fluffy.