As I was wandering through Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi on Friday, I popped into Jashanmal to swoon over a few stockpots I'm trying to justify buying for my kitchen (how many stockpots, really, do you need?) ... and what do I see? This book! After hunting around Abu Dhabi the past few weeks to find the best cupcake in the capital, we wanted to find some healthier options to add to our story. It was difficult to come up with a tried-and-true healthy cupcake recipe, so we instead devised a list of healthy substitutions you can use when baking.
Ms Cupcake: The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes in Town has an entire chapter devoted to dairy and egg-free cupcakes. Most of these recipes can also be made gluten-free with simple substitutions that are explained in the book. Cupcake flavours include mint chocolate chip, red velvet, coconut bounty, chocolate peanut butter and golden syrup. The author explains vegan baking and includes a helpful section on tips to correct common vegan baking problems. There are also chapters on vegan cakes, cookies and other delights. There was just one copy at the Jashanmal store in the Marina Mall, but they assured me they can special order one for anyone who asks - and it's only Dh87.
While vegan cupcakes don’t necessarily mean they’re healthy (they’re not, necessarily), they do offer a better option for vegans and people with various food allergies or intolerances who want to enjoy this easy-to-eat dessert.
sjohnson@thenational.ae
