Hands-Free Cellphone Cupcakes

So, there I was today, driving on the Thruway talking on my phone using the speaker.  I got pulled over!  Apparently in NY you can't even be holding the phone?  Ok, news to me.  I apologized and explained I was not aware of this, but the trooper did not care about this and gave me a ticket anyway.  Craaaaaaaaap....  But that was hardly the worst part!  I got really upset and started crying... like, hysterical 8 months pregnant hormone crying.  I'm not usually this dramatic, but being pregnant I find I have a hard time controlling my emotions - everything's extreme.  So the normal amount of frustration and anger you would imagine from getting a ticket is like multiplied by 10 for me.  I try to control it but that doesn't always work out successfully.  So, there I am, hysterical crying, telling the cop that I'm 8 months pregnant and begging him not to give me a ticket (obviously, didn't work).  Then he just left me there, got into his cop car and drove away!  My distress reached a whole new level and I literally started hyperventilating and having an anxiety attack.  I couldn't breathe and it was 10 minutes before I was even able to call my husband to help me.  My wonderful husband talked to me and was all ready to drive out to get me before I was finally able to calm down.  All in all I was stuck hyperventilating on the side of the NYS Thruway for 30 minutes!  When I FINALLY got home I needed to relax b/c I was still so upset... and angry... like, so angry.  I understand when cops give us tickets they're just doing their jobs. We don't like it, but fine.  But you see that I'm pregnant, (plus I told you I'm pregnant) and you see me hysterical crying.  Don't you think you should wait to make sure I'm ok?  See if I can drive?  Wait until I pull back onto the road?  Just leaving me there is NOT doing your job, in fact its the opposite.  That cop totally sucks and I hope karma comes back and bites him in the ass, hard.  And not b/c he gave me a ticket but b/c not only does his job require him to have a sense of duty to make sure I'm ok, there's this thing called common decency as well; and apparently he didn't have either!  What a jack-wipe.  There, I'm done.  Yeah, so clearly there was only one thing to do to calm down... yes, bake! 

I had some sad looking apricots in the fridge and I knew today was the day I was going to give them new life and turn them into something delicious.  I needed a new start to my day and those apricots needed a second chance.  I also had a sad pluot that I threw in b/c, what the hell.  I love combining fruit with spices and for some reason apricot and cardamom sounded really good to me.  I didn't really overthink it, I just started throwing all the ingredients together.  By the time I was filling those cupcake liners I was (almost) back to my usual self.  Maybe I should have called these Therapy Cupcakes... Anyway, if you need some mental healing, bake these and then name them whatever you want.  Onto the recipes!

Apricot Cardamom Cupcakes with Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

 

 

For the cupcakes:

3/4 cup soy milk (I use vanilla)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 and 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cardamom
pinch nutmeg (about 1/8 tsp)
3 - 5 apricots (depending on size), peeled and diced - about 1 cup

You know the drill.  Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Mix together the soy milk and vinegar until frothy and set aside.  In a large bowl combine the sugar, oil and vanilla.  Add the soy milk and mix well.  Sift in the dry ingredients and mix until well combined and little to no lumps remain.  Fold in the apricots.  Fill liners 3/4 to almost all of the way full - this will depend on how much apricot is in your batter.  I had mine almost to the top.  As long as they're at least 3/4 filled you will have nice cupcakes.  Bake for 20-22 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

I loved how colorful these were!  Those lovely flecks of pink are from the pluot - I should just say I did that on purpose :)

I didn't overthink the frosting when I was making it either.  Cream cheese frosting was a no-brainer today b/c I'm all out of shortening.  And ginger sounded like it would go well so I went with that.  (btw - I wasn't wrong.. these things are freakin delicious!)

 

For the frosting:

1/2 cup vegan cream cheese (I use Follow Your Heart b/c its GMO free - yay!)
1/4 cup vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)
2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
1 and 1/2 tsps ginger

In the bowl of a standmixer (or using a handmixer), cream together the cream cheese and margarine.  It helps if these items are not cold when doing this.  But to be honest I pulled mine right out of the fridge today and it worked out fine.  Sift in the powdered sugar testing for sweetness.  You also want to add enough sugar to stiffen your frosting.  Try to find a good balance between sweetness and consistency.  I find when you take the whisk out and the frosting doesn't fall off of it, you're good.  Sift in the ginger and mix well to combine.  Fill your piping bag and frost away.

PS - If you're not pregnant, these therapy cupcakes will work a lot better if you pour yourself a big glass of wine, and then start baking.  Just saying.