Now, you must be wondering what makes these cupcakes vegan. The secret is mixing chickpea aquafaba and vegan butter to make the vegan buttercream that goes on top. Aquafaba is leftover water after cooking chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, and more. It serves as a substitute for eggs, so vegans can enjoy their treats too. For this recipe, use the aquafaba from one can of chickpeas. You should get about a 3/4 cup.

The vegan buttercream takes quite a lot of mixing, but it will definitely be worth it. The time depends on how quickly your aquafaba mixture cools down after it has been heated with the sugar. However, do not add the vegan butter too quickly, as it will become melty instead of creamy. If this happens, you can whip it on high for about two to three minutes.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make these vegan fall treats.

Ingredients for the cupcakes:

• 1/3 cup (about 1 3/4 ounces) flax meal
• 1/2 cup hot water (about 115°F)
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (2 3/8 ounces) unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 1/2 cups (about 10 7/8 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups (12 ounces) finely grated carrots

Ingredients for the vegan buttercream:

• 3/4 cup aquafaba
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 2 cups vegan butter, softened (about 1 pound)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Prepare the cupcakes

Start by preheating your oven to 325°F and set aside a 12-cup muffin tray with 12 paper cups.Then, in a medium bowl, combine the flax meal and hot water. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, and apple sauce to the mixture and whisk again.Mix together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Add the flour mixture to the flax mixture and combine while gradually adding oil. Fold in the shredded carrots and distribute them evenly. Put an even amount (⅓ cup) of batter evenly into the cups. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, and insert a wooden pick into the center of the cupcakes to make sure they are ready. Take them out of the oven and let them cool for about an hour.

Prepare the vegan buttercream

Stir the aquafaba, sugar, cream of tartar, and xanthan gum over medium-low heat for about four minutes while stirring often. Beat the mixture with a stand mixer until it gets thick and cools slightly. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the softened butter until everything combines. Add salt, lemon juice, and vanilla while the mixer is still on low speed. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture thickens and holds its shape. Apply on top of the cooled cupcakes, and you have your fall treats ready to serve.

Feel free to top these delicious cupcakes with crushed nuts or a bit of cinnamon.

Migraines are a chronic condition that countless people live with daily and learn to manage. If not dealt with and managed properly, it could mean that the individual suffering from it has to lie still in a silent dark room, avoiding any triggers. But that’s rarely the case. People have lives to live, with or without the condition, and several women share their secret methods to overcoming this more-than-intense headache and moving forward with the day!

Alicia Holloway – Migraines, No Problem!

One of the women to speak up about the chronic condition that keeps so many people down and averts them from living a healthy, normal lifestyle confesses that she was diagnosed at only 12 years old when she looked out the window, and her vision went black. She had other symptoms and later found she was experiencing everything a stroke patient would. As a dancer and her own boss, she found a way to be graceful and focus on the positive rather than thinking about all the side symptoms that come with the condition!

A Mother of Two Manages

Annie Sloan, a mother of two and a busy CEO, says that a salty-sweet snack and submerging herself in hot water while having an ice towel around her neck works miracles when she feels her migraines coming. She is a very busy woman, responsible for the people who offer you all kinds of extra features on your stay in Airbnbs, but she finds that the stress can’t take her down the wrong path if she doesn’t allow it!

Cara Thompson Knows Best

Another woman who shares her ways of dealing with migraines is Cara Thompson, a corporate chef for a large company. She fell in love with cooking at a young age and has been in the business for over 20 years while dealing with the palpable condition. She is a woman who is always on her feet, and even if she gets a minute or two to relax in the freezer and drink some coffee – she can go about her day peacefully. Her secret is drinking an espresso with a squeeze of lemon and sparkling water – it does the trick every time!

When you’re experiencing migraines, it’s important to know what your body needs to feel calm and continue with the busy day. These women have found ways to carry on with the condition and make it look graceful and not such big of a deal! They suggest listening to your body and doing what’s necessary!