Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream

And so it seems I am going to be a pediatrician after all! I've spent so much time, energy, and brain capacity agonizing over  The Match the past two years I hardly know what to do with myself now. Years of work and planning and countless hours of anxiety, stress, and feelings of unworthiness culminate on this single day. And in a matter of moments it's all over, the future is set, the unknowns and what-ifs disappear. It is both calming and unsettling all at once.

Match Day has become ritualized at most medical schools across the country. In general, they fall into one of two camps. In one camp students will gather and open their envelopes all at the same time, celebrating together but preserving the privacy of reading the contents of that envelope. The others make a ceremony of it, asking students to (voluntarily) open their envelopes before an adoring crowd of classmates and family and read the contents aloud. Which is the better way? I always thought I would prefer the first, but the latter does have it's redeeming qualities. While it is somewhat cruel to put students in the spotlight during such an emotionally charged life event, somehow the ceremony makes the day grander and more exciting. It's fun to see the each person's reaction. The key to the success of the ceremony, however, is the mutual agreement among students to participate for the benefit of everyone despite the discomfort. Attending the ceremony without reading your own envelope is taking advantage of the spectacle at the expense of the participants. My school does the ceremony and, yes, I got up and read my envelope. Leading up to the envelope opening, I was extremely anxious (complete with psychogenic chest and abdominal pain for nearly two days!), but it was fun to participate. It really wasn't that bad. I only wish that the 40% of my class who didn't participate had decided to make themselves a bit uncomfortable and join in as well.

Now that I'm in the truly best part of med school (or possibly my entire education), I've  had plenty of time to get back to baking and being human. These cupcakes are moist, chocolate-y, and the frosting will make caffeine-addicts swoon.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes (very slightly adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup AP flour
1/3 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder (I used Hershey's special dark)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Directions

Oven temp: 350 F  Bake time: 18-20 minutes

1. Preheat oven & prepare muffin pan

2. Whisk together almond milk and vinegar in large bowl. Set aside for a few minutes.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

4. Add sugar, oil, and vanilla to almond milk mixture. Beat until foamy.

5. Add dry ingredients to the wet in two batches, beat until no large lumps remain.

6. Fill liners 3/4 full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. 

Coffee Buttercream Frosting (not vegan)

1 1/2 Tbsp instant coffee granules (or 1 Starbucks Via packet)

1 1/2 Tbsp water

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 c (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3 c powdered sugar

3 Tbsp milk

1. Combine water, coffee and vanilla. Set aside.

2. Beat butter on medium speed until fluffy (1 min).

3. Decrease speed to low. Add powdered sugar in 3 batches, mixing in after each addition. Increase speed to medium, beat 2-3 minutes.

4. Add coffee mixture and milk. Beat on low to combine then increase to medium and beat 3-4 minutes.