Serves 6   30 large fresh mint leaves 3 to 4 thick slices fresh watermelon 12 ounces light rum, such as Bacardi ½ cup simple syrup (see note) 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes) Sprigs of mint and spears of watermelon, for serving

Note: to make simple syrup, put 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small pan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Chill.

1/2 cup potato starch

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup arrowroot

1 Tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

12 teaspoon xanthan gum

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup coconut oil (I substitute Earth Balance vegan butter)

1 1/3 cups agave nectar

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 Tablespoons vanilla extract

1 Cup hot water or hot coffee

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and sale.

Add the oil, agave nectar, applesauce, vanilla and hot water to the dry ingredients.  Still until batter is smooth.

Pour 1/3 cup batter into each prepared cup, almost filling it.

Bake the cupcakes on the center rack for 22 minutes, rotating the tins 180 degrees after 15 minutes.

Let the cupcakes stand in the tims for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

To frost, I melt chocolate chips with a bit of soy milk to make a glaze.

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup margarine (butter or ghee)

3/4  cup soy yogurt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup poppy seed

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup soft silken tofu, blended until creamy with a little bit of soy milk

2/3 cup vanilla soy milk or rice milk

4 Tablespoons instant decaf coffee

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

For Ganache frosting:

3 Tablespoons vanilla soy milk

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

-In a large bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, tofu, soy milk, vanilla, and coffee until smooth.

-In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

-Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined and smooth.

-Fill the liners 3/4 full.

-Bake 20-22 minutes.  Don’t overbake.

-Cool completely, and frost!

Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

Heat the soy milk in a microwave safe bowl (I use a Pyrex measuring cup) until almost boiling.  Add the chocolate chips and stir until they are melted in and blended with the milk.  Cool for a few minutes, then drizzle onto the cupcakes.

1/2 cup sugar

4 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1 Tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa

1 tbsp plain flour

1 tsp Cream of Tartar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup oz Earth Balance, melted and cooled

Cake Filling:

1/2 Cup Earth Balance

3/4 cup chocolate melted (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips)

3 cups icing sugar, sifted

1 Tbsp soy milk

Optional: 1 packet of Tim Tam’s Biscuits

Ganache Topping:

1 1/4 cup of Vegan Pouring Cream (recipe below)

½ cup ground almonds

1¼  cups almond or coconut milk or other non-dairy milk

1 tablespoon almond oil or canola / rapeseed oil

1 tablespoon agave nectar

½ teaspoon xanthan gum

½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

1 3/4 cup vegan milk chocolate

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

1. Whisk egg replacement and sugar in an electric mixer until thick and pale (5-6 minutes)

2. Sift over corn flour, cocoa, flour, cream of tartar and bicarbonate soda.  Fold in with spatula.  Fold in Earth Balance Butter and spoon into tin.

3. Bake in center of over until cake springs back when lightly pressed (about 10-12 minutes).

4. Turn onto baking rack covered by baking parchment and let it cool completely.

5. Once cooled, cut cake into two even rectangular halves.

Chocolate Icing Filling:

1. Beat Earth Balance butter until it is light and fluffy.

2. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth and pale.

3. Add melted chocolate and soy milk and beat until smooth.

4. Spread the icing over the top of one of the cakes (and place Tim Tam’s, if you decided to add them, along the center of the icing)

5. Sandwich the other cake on top of the icing and biscuits (cookies for us Yanks!).

Chocolate Ganache Topping:

1. Break up chocolate into small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.

2. Slowly heat pouring cream in a sauce pan.

To Make Pouring Cream:

Whizz the almonds, non-dairy milk, and agave nectar in the blender. Keep the blender running and drizzle in the oil,               then add the xantham gum. Add more milk if you want a thinner cream, and more agave if a sweeter cream is               desired

3. Just as it starts to come to a boil, remove from the heat and cool for a couple minutes.

4. Pour hot cream over chocolate and set aside 10 minutes to allow chocolate to melt.

5. Mix cream and chocolate together until smooth using a whisk, then cool until it reaches room temperature and thickens.

6. Pour over the top of the cake using a spatula, to ensure the ganache covers all the top and the sides of the cake.

7. Chill in the fridge until the ganache sets and then peel off the bottom baking paper and serve cake at room temperature.