Cupcakes that taste like brownies masquerading as cake, topped with a fluffy raspberry buttercream and a dark chocolate drizzle. Eggs and dairy will never be missed.
I'm not usually a huge buttercream fan, but this one - maybe because of the splash of fresh raspberry - has me thinking twice. Time to get messy in the kitchen!Recipe: Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Whipped Raspberry Buttercream (makes 10-12)What You Need (for the cupcakes):
1 cup coconut milk (I used vanilla; unsweetened would also be perfect)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup turbinado sugar
1/3 cup canola/veg/melted coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla bean paste/extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 + 2 tbsp cup cocoa powder
1 tsp instant coffee granules (or finely ground coffee)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
What You Do (for the cupcakes)
Preheat oven to 350.
Line a muffin tin with 12 liners, or lightly grease
Whisk together the coconut milk and vinegar in a large bowl. Let sit for a few minutes.
Sift or carefully whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add the coffee to the milk/vinegar mixture, and whisk to combine. Add vanilla, oil and sugar and stir well to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet (aim for 3 increments) and mix to combine thoroughly. Don't overmix.
Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the batter into the tray/liners (using a cookie dough scoop makes this very easy!), filling each about 3/4 of the way. Bake about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Let cool in the tray for at least 15 minutes, and then remove and transfer to a cooling rack.
What You Need (for the frosting)
1/4 cup nonhydrogenated margarine (I use Earth Balance sticks)
1/4 cup nonhydrogenated shortening (I use Earth Balance sticks)
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tbsp raspberry juice/puree (see instructions below!)
What You Do (for the frosting)
To make the raspberry juice, blend fresh or thawed frozen raspberries in a blender or food processor and remove the seeds by pressing through a sieve, or just put the berries in the sieve over a bowl and press with a fork to extract the juice (I did the latter!).
Beat the "butters" together until completely combined.
Add the sugar and beat until fluffy.
Add the vanilla and raspberry, and beat on med/high for 5 minutes.
To get an even lighter/fluffier texture, switch at this point to a whisk attachment on a mixer and whip for 2-3 minutes.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, spread or pipe the frosting on. If you have some extra raspberries, stick one on top of each cupcake!
EXTRA: What You Need (for chocolate drizzle)
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp coconut milk
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1.5 oz dark chocolate
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
What You Do (for chocolate drizzle)
If your coconut oil is solid, warm in a small pan over low/med heat. If it's already liquid, gently warm in a small pan.
Add the dark chocolate to the oil in the pan (still over heat), stirring until it melts in completely.
Remove the pan from the stovetop, and whisk in all of the other ingredients until completely combined and smooth.
Let cool and thicken, and drizzle over cupcakes with a spoon or fine piping tip.