Can there ever really be enough cupcake recipes on this blog? I think not. Sometimes you just want a simple timeless classic...and that's exactly what these double chocolate cupcakes are. Switch up the frosting color to match any occasion.


Ingredients
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
​1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (+ 1-2 tablespoons for frosting)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup Dutched unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup mini vegan chocolate chips (optional)
​3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup vegan butter
natural food coloring (optional)


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners (I used primary blue to contrast the orange frosting). 

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. This is the dry mixture.

In a separate bowl or standing mixer, combine light brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, vegetable oil, non-dairy milk and vanilla. Slowly incorporate in the dry mixture until smooth.

Optionally, stir in chocolate chips for added texture and richness. Pour batter into cups. 

Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

As for the frosting, combine powdered sugar and vegan butter. Optionally, add in natural food coloring. For fancy swirls as pictured, pipe on frosting with piping bag and large star tip. Otherwise, opt for a low maintenance approach and spread frosting on with a knife. Feel free to top with sprinkles, chocolate chips, cookies crumbs or candy. Enjoy!

In my lofty goal to try the indie vegan and cruelty free makeup brands, Lunatick Cosmetic Labs has been on my radar for a while. I figured this would be the perfect time of year to share my thoughts on some of their products. The Vampira Palette is so much fun, I mean look at that packaging! And its deadly neutral shades are perfect for year round.

Feeling hollow? I also made a recipe for the little Double Chocolate Chip Cupcakes in the corner of this photo.

​Get caught in a "tropical lime storm" with these cupcakes!
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Ingredients
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups vegan butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup vegan sour cream (I used Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream)
​​1/2 cup Mountain Dew Baja Blast
​1/2 teaspoon spirulina powder or natural teal food coloring
1 lime, zest and juice
​1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 cups powdered sugar​

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners (I went for a classic Mountain Dew yellow). 

​In a large mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt). Set aside.

In another bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter with sugar, and gradually add in applesauce, sour cream, Baja Blast and most of the lime zest until incorporated. Slowly add the dry ingredients mixture into this mixture until smooth. 

Spoon slightly less than a tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Hang ten while the cupcakes cool in the pan, then remove to a rack while you prepare the frosting. If you want your cupcakes to be totally tubular, don't frost em while they're hot.

For the frosting, using a standing mixer or hand mixer, whip remaining 1 cup butter, gradually adding in powdered sugar through a sifter until smooth and creamy. Bring it to the next level with remaining lime zest, a tiny splash of lime juice, vanilla, and either spirulina powder or natural teal food coloring  for the perfect punch of cowabunga color.

Once the cupcakes are cool, add on some frosting. I recommend using a piping bag and large star tip, or simply spreading frosting on with a knife. Enjoy!

Makeup Monsters is an indie vegan and cruelty free makeup brand with tons of fun colorful products, including their first ever eyeshadow palette, Dragon Child.

In the palette, the shade "Dragon Child" is Baja Blast perfection, so I created an accompanying recipe using the cult classic Mountain Dew Baja Blast. Here's how I make these radical Baja Blast Cupcakes.

The Makeup Monsters Cosmetics Dragon Child Eyeshadow Palette, $42, includes 12 eyeshadows (10 matte, 2 metallic), all inspired by dragons. The colors are all incredibly vibrant and pigmented, and I'm excited to have it in my arsenal!

I wouldn't normally be drawn to a palette with so many cool toned shades, but the color story is so beautiful and unique. It encourages playing with new and different combinations and thinking outside the box, which I love. The shade "Lucky" doubles as the most stunning duochrome highlighter, and "Firefly" is a lovely pop of color in the inner corner of the eyes.

Overall, I look forward to creating new looks with this palette and I can't wait to see what Makeup Monsters Cosmetics comes out with next!

​These funny looking little things are my delicious miniature Raspberry Lemon Cheesecakes. I used a muffin tin and some parchment paper in lieu of the traditional springform pans, which actually worked pretty well. The crust is made of none other than Lotus Biscoff speculoos cookies...my favorite!
​
Ingredients
3/4 cup crushed speculoos cookies (I used Lotus Biscoff)
1 1/2 tablespoons melted vegan butter
24 oz vegan cream cheese (I used Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese)
3/4 cup coconut cream or full fat coconut milk, chilled
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup sugar (+1 tablespoon for raspberries)
1/2 cup vegan sour cream (I used Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream)
1/2 cup vegan creamer (I used Ripple Half & Half)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup fresh raspberries or black raspberries
​​

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with parchment paper circles in the bottom. I recommend cutting them with strips on either side of the circles to make it even easier to remove cheesecakes from the pan. I picked up this tip from Minimalist Baker.

Combine crushed speculoos cookies with melted vegan butter and press into the bottom of the muffin tins, using a measuring cup or spoon to press down evenly. Refrigerate until you make the filling.

Using a standing mixer or mixing bowl with hand mixer, whip the coconut cream until peaks form, and set aside.

Mix cornstarch with water in small bowl until smooth, and set aside.

Next, beat cream cheese on low speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Add sugar and sour cream and continue mixing. Add vegan creamer, then lemon juice, vanilla and cornstarch mixture.

Turn off the mixer and fold in whipped coconut cream with a spatula.

Pour half the mixture into the muffin tins. Reserve the remaining mixture for the raspberry layer.

Purée raspberries with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Then add the puréed raspberries into the remaining cheesecake mixture for the raspberry layer.

Pour into muffin tins, leaving a little bit of room for the cheesecakes to expand in the oven.

Bake for 30 minutes and allow to cool completely before removing from the muffin tin.  I recommend placing the tin in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Use a knife around sides of tins before removing.

To be honest, these were kinda ugly before I put the berries on top, but they taste amazing! Whipped cream and raspberry syrup would also be amazing toppings. Enjoy!

Lethal Cosmetics is a really cool ethical beauty brand based out of Berlin, Germany. They specialize in liquid lipsticks and pressed eyeshadows, all of which are vegan and cruelty free.

Inspired by the luxuriousness of their eyeshadows, I made a recipe for mini vegan Raspberry Lemon Cheesecakes! In hindsight I kind of wish I had made something native to Berlin, but these ended up delicious anyhow!

The Lethal Cosmetics Alchemy + Hysteria Collection, $60, includes 12 of their magnetic pressed eyeshadows, plus a magnetic palette. If the eyeshadows and palette were purchased separately, that would be $84. They also sell the Individual Magnetic Pressed Eyeshadows for $6 each, so you can pick up a few of your favorites.

There is a good range of both neutral and colorful shades in the collection, in a variety of pearlescent, metallic and matte finishes. All of the shades are incredibly smooth and pigmented, particularly the metallic shades. I am especially blown away with how the shade "Spirit" looks all over the eyelids...it's such an incredible ultra violet purple! The shades "Serene" and "Arsenic" are also beautiful as highlighters.

Overall I am very impressed with the performance of these eyeshadows and I can't wait to see what Lethal Cosmetics comes out with next! 

​No dessert satisfies a Capricorn's lifelong quest for perfectionism and minimalism like a classic chocolate chip cookie. Pour yourself a glass of whiskey, put your favorite record on, and get ready for the crème de la crème of confections.
​
Ingredients​
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
1/2 cup organic granulated sugar
1/2 cup organic brown sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
​1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
​
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt). I recommend using a sifter to blend them together seamlessly, you know, for the perfectionist approach.

Using a standing mixer or hand mixer, whip together cold vegan butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until thoroughly combined. Once the sugar crystals magically break up the cold butter and the air makes it light and fluffy, add in the applesauce and vanilla. 

Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low speed until smooth, being mindful not to over-mix. Turn the standing mixer or hand mixer off and stir in the chocolate chips or chocolate chunks using a wooden spoon or spatula. Refrigerate dough overnight before baking. Waiting is the hardest part.
​
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spoon out tablespoon-sized balls chilled dough and bake for 12 minutes until the cookies are slightly golden brown at the edges. A small ice cream scoop or cookie scoop helps to keep the cookies evenly sized. Immediately remove parchment paper with cookies from the hot baking sheet to allow them to chill out a bit on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

I picked up all of the vegan products related to my zodiac sign, which includes the Color Icon Lip Gloss in "Capricorn", Highlighting Bar in "Earth" and MegaGlo Loose Highlighting Powder in "Written in the Stars".

When thinking of an accompanying dessert inspired the attributes of Capricorn, I was immediately drawn to the idea of simple flawless Chocolate Chip Cookies (vegan of course). 

I think Wet n Wild has some of the best quality products at the drugstore, and I end up using quite a lot of their makeup in my daily routine. ​ I also absolutely love how their vegan products are labeled...it makes it so fun and easy to shop! 

MegaGlo Loose Highlighting Powder, "Written in the Stars", $6.99- This highlighting powder may be the most intense highlighter I've tried from the drugstore, ever. It's a shimmery champagne which blends into the skin beautifully, creating a perfect blindingly luminescent glow. I also love that the powder sifter is designed with little star cutouts...so cute!

Highlighting Bar, "Earth", $6.99- This is a pressed highlighter in a gorgeous flattering hue. It has more gold in it than "Written in the Stars", and the two highlighters layer beautifully over one another. "Earth" also works well as eyeshadow, or patted over the center of the eyelids for added dimension and shine.

Color Icon Lip Gloss, "Capricorn", $2.99- I'm so thrilled Wet n Wild chose this stunning flattering pink copper shade to represent Capricorn. It's not sticky at all, and is formulated with "argan, macadamia, and jojoba oils"! This will definitely be going in my purse to spice up my look when I have the midday doldrums. 

As soon as I saw the cool geometric shapes in the Rose Quartz Crystal Gemstone Palette, I immediately thought of making gilded gemstone chocolate bonbons. I found this silicone gem mold and filled it with a homemade vegan chocolate mixture and edible bronze and pink glitter for added glamour. 
​
Ingredients
​1/2 cup finely chopped cocoa butter
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup sifted Dutched cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt 
edible glitter (optional but awesome)

Directions
Place molds or mini cupcake liners on a small baking sheet or cutting board. Sprinkle edible glitter into molds.

Add approximately 2 inches of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat and place a medium glass or ceramic bowl on top (not touching the water) to create a "double boiler". Of course, if you already have a double boiler, please feel free to use that instead!

Add the cocoa butter to the bowl and melt, stirring with a heatproof spatula.

Remove from heat and stir in the maple syrup. Adjust the sweetness of your chocolate by adding more or less syrup.

Whisk in cocoa powder until thoroughly combined and smooth.

Add any optional flavorings such as vanilla extract, citrus zest, salt and nuts. I added vanilla extract and Himalayan pink salt crystals...because crystals.

Pour chocolate into molds or mini cupcake liners and transfer to the freezer or refrigerator. It should take about 10 minutes for the chocolate to harden, but I recommend allowing the chocolate to harden for a few hours before attempting to take it out of the molds.

Remove the chocolate from the molds and optionally sprinkle with additional edible glitter and/or sea salt. Enjoy!

Aether Beauty is a brand new vegan and cruelty free beauty brand which uses clean ingredients and sustainable packaging. I was so excited to receive their new Rose Quartz Crystal Gemstone Palette, which contains actual rose quartz!
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In keeping with my "Recipe and Review" series, there is an accompanying vegan recipe for Gemstone Chocolate Bonbons, heavily inspired by the Rose Quartz Crystal Gemstone Palette.

The Aether Beauty Rose Quartz Crystal Gemstone Palette, $58, includes 12 shades in "ultra-matte, shimmer, duo-chrome and metallic finishes".  It is formulated with incredible ingredients including organic coconut oil and organic shea butter for a "smooth buttery texture", as well as organic rose hip oil and of course rose quartz powder.