In New York last week, I made a pilgrimage to Moo Shoes, where I bought to pairs of vegan shoes. While there I picked up a copy of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Baking has always been my forte, but my vegan baked goods have not been particularly successful. With the exception of banana bread, every other recipe I've tried has resulted in rubbery cornbread, rubbery cake or rubbery muffins. After having the most amazing sticky buns and cake from Vegan Treats and Sticky Fingers at the AR conference this summer, I knew that it is possible to make vegan baked goods and pastries that aren't rubbery.

So, I was counting on Vegan Cupcakes. Well, I wasn't disappointed. I just made the German Chocolate Cupcakes (Coconut Pecan Fudge Frosting p. 147 on Your Basic Chocolate Cupcake p. 37) and they came out light, with a fine crumb. Never would have guessed that they did not contain dairy or eggs. I am hoping that the cupcakes made from this book help convince whoever I serve them to that being vegan isn't a hardship.