Vegan Chocolate Fudge Muffins

"I got nuffin' for ya."

That's how John Caleb let us all know the fudge muffins were ready. He can't say muffins ... he can say mom and medicine and math, but I guess muffins is too hard. 

Nuffins. "I want my nuffins."

Well okay then.

 

 

For some (*cough*) muffins may be hard to say, but they aren't hard to make!  One bowl, one baking time, one batch of happiness. 

Every New Year's, my mom gets us new calendars. I was with her when she was shopping for them and got to pick mine out.  I picked one that is full of all kinds of cupcake recipes; one for every day of the year.  Definitely my kind of calendar and it is super fun to look through.  There are sweet and savory cupcakes, from avocado lemon basil to chocolate raspberry.  And the photos are all really pretty.

I saw this vegan one and was curious.  A friend had told me she didn't like vegan baking very much (she is very credible and has experience!) so I'd never wandered into the world of eggless and dairy free baking, because, one, I gratefully don't have to, and two, if it isn't good, why do it?
 

Because I'm one of those people who will be like, "this is horrible, here, try it!". Mom tells me I need to work on my diplomacy and logic.  Whaaaaat?

I'm not vegan and don't plan on it, but I'm up for trying new things and since this recipe was published in a calendar for all the world to see, I assumed it was safe. So I tried if. Kind of ... 

I really am not a distracted baker. I can usually halve and sub in my head and keep the recipe straight. But I am really bad about following recipes. I didn't change much in this recipe on purpose, but then I accidentally left out a pretty important ingredient.
 

It called for two cups of cold water and two teaspoons of vinegar, so I just mixed these two in a measuring cup and began to add it slowly to the dry ingredients. I had Elizabeth and Abigail and John Caleb all helping (helping is a loose term, I've decided) and I guess I kind if forgot to pour the final 3/4 cup if water/vinegar in. It wasn't on purpose ... Mom was helping clean up the kitchen while I was putting the muffins in the oven and asked if this water was important. 

Um, I got nuffin. 

The batter had been the right texture and had tasted great, so I felt ok about the muffins. Honestly, I'm glad I didn't add the water.  They turned out so fudgy and were packed with tons of chocolate flavor.  They would be a perfect cupcake, except I couldn't figure out dairy free frosting.  So they make the perfect fudgy muffin, a rich chocolate indulgence I may or may not have eaten for breakfast.  You would never guess there are no eggs, no dairy, and practically no fat.  

 

Vegan Chocolate Fudge Muffins
Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life

Yield: 18 muffins 

1 cup whole wheat flour 

1-1/4 cup all purpose flour 

1/2 cup cocoa powder 

2 cups sugar 

2 teaspoons baking soda 

1-1/4 cups water 

1-1/4 teaspoon distilled white vinegar 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 cup applesauce 

1/4 cup pumpkin purée (or more applesauce)

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Preheat oven to 350. 

Combine first give ingredients. Set aside. 

Combine remaining ingredients. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until combined. 

Pour into 18 lined cupcake tins and bake for 20-25 minutes it until toothpick inserted comes out clean.