Soy Nog Cupcakes & A Very Special VegNews Contest!

There's not really much more I can say about Soy Nog Cupcakes, other than that they're fantastic and you should try them! I mean, I guess I could talk up how moist and distinctively enjoyable they are for the holidays, but those would only be words. Something wonderful about this time of year is that you don't just talk about some pretty marvelous things - you actually get them! Think about it. You get to make a list of things you've always wanted and you get at least some of them - unless you've been bad. You get to bake all kinds of wonderful projects and warm up your house at the same time. People donate and volunteer more during these winter holiday months than any of time of the year. There are countless parties to throw and go to. Mistletoe to kiss your husband under. Still don't believe me this is an awesome time of year? You get to drink hot chocolate. You're drinking warm liquid chocolate! And one of my personal favorites - Silk Soy Nog hits the shelves.

These cupcakes combine 2 things that we love: Cupcakes and Silk Soy Nog! (insert starry eyed lovesick swoon here) They also seemed like a great post to announce our next contest. That's right, we're partnering up with one of our favorite magazines, VegNews--the premier magazine focusing on a vegetarian lifestyle since 2000--to bring you A Very Special VegNews End of the Year Contest!

All you have to do to win is leave a comment below answering these 3 questions:

• What has been your favorite Meet The Shannons Recipe thus far?
• What recipe have you always wanted to see veganized and would like to see next year?
• What is your favorite feature on VegNews.com - Saavy Abby, Book Club, Cafe VegNews...?

Before you leave your comment - remember in order to win one of our contests, you need to be a "follower" of Meet The Shannons. If we can't email you, then we can't send you your prize! So before you leave your comment with the answers, make sure you use the "follow" button on the side of the blog.

We'll randomly choose a follower from the correct answers posted below on Jan. 1st and send you a MAJOR AWARD! (Please keep in mind that it will take a few days for processing and shipping). What is this major award all the kids are talking about? Well, a gift pack from VegNews, of course! This includes a one-year subscription, the current issue of VegNews, an over-sized tote bag, and six vegan cookies, a gift pack totaling $50! I know - It's like a Christmas Miracle!

Let's bake some cupcakes!

Soy Nog Cupcake (this should make 2 dozen cupcakes)

• 2 1/3 Cups Flour
• 1 1/2 Cups Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Margarine
• 1 1/4 Cup Vegan Egg Nog
• 3 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 1/4 Teaspoon Rum Extract
• 3 Tablespoons Applesauce
• 1 Teaspoon EnerG Egg Replacer
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
• Baking Spray

Heat oven to 350.


Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl with a hand held electric mixer for 5 minutes on a medium speed. You want it be smooth and fluffy. Here's a tip - turn your bowl at a slight angle to make your batter a little fluffier.

Lightly spray your cupcake pan or silicone baking cups with Baking Spray or use paper liner... but once your pan is ready, fill the cups 3/4 of the way and bake for around 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from the oven when you can stick a toothpick in the center and remove it cleanly.

Soy Nog Frosting

• 2 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Vegan Vegetable Shortening
• 1/4 Cup Margarine
• 2 Teaspoons Rum or Rum Extract
• 2 Teaspoon Vegan Egg Nog
• 1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon (you'll want a little more to sprinkle over the top)
• Cinnamon Sticks for decorating

Blend all the ingredients in a large bowl with a hand held electric mixer on a medium speed for 5 minutes using the beater attachments first and then when the shortening and margarine are soft - switch to the whisk attachments and blend for another 5 minutes. You want to stop when it gets fluffy.


If you want your frosting to be thicker add more Powdered Sugar - a tablespoon at a time or if you want it softer add Soy Nog a teaspoon at a time.