Chocolate Maple Cupcakes

Hello readers!
Last night I made Chocolate Maple Cupcakes with Rice Milk Chocolate Ganache and they were a huge hit! My boyfriend devoured it even though he's not big on sweets or chocolate. One of my roomates said that it was the best thing I've made so far, and I probably have to agree, with Chicken Saltimbocca following.

This recipe is from The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal. If you haven't checked out her blog yet, you definitely should. She actually works with Enjoy Life (completely allergy free products, I love them!) and does videos. She records recipes that she makes and she also talks about allergies and tries to raise awareness through EmpowHER.com. So check out all those links!

Chocolate Maple Cupakes with Rice Milk Chocolate Ganache: Dairy, eggs, soy, nuts, fish, and wheat free.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup rice milk
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1 cup Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix (Makes 6 cups: 4 cups superfine brown rice flour, 1 1/3 cups potato starch, 2/3 cup tapioca flour/starch; If you have a reaction to these ingredients, try a mix in my replacements post)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening (I like Spectrum, it's palm oil)
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with 12 liners
2. Combine the rice milk and cider vinegar. Set aside.
3. Whisk together the flour mix, cocoa powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the shortening on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the maple syrup and vanilla, and beat for about 3 minutes, or until combined.
5. Sift in the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the rice milk mixture, and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Fill the liners about half full.
6. Bake in the center of the oven for about 18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Bake until a skewer/toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
7. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and let cool completely before topping with the ganache. For easy cleanup, line a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper and transfer the cupcakes to the baking sheet. I usually spread 1 teaspoon on each cupcake, then go back and top each with a second teaspoon, for a nice glossy, even layer (Be careful when eating them; everything was still very warm when I iced them so it was a big gooey chocolatey mess)

• 4 Enjoy Life Rice Milk Boom Choco Boom bars (about six ounces total), or 1 cup dairy-free, soy-free chocolate chips (I only used three bars and I haven't been able to find any chocolate chips)
• 1/4 cup rice milk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave nectar
• Pinch of salt

1. Chop the chocolate bars into small pieces using a serrated knife.
2. Bring the rice milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate, maple syrup, and salt.
3. Whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Let cool to room temperature before spreading or drizzling on cupcakes. If you want the ganache to set faster, place the glazed cupcakes in the fridge.