VEGAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

¼ cup Dutch process cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ Tbsp salt

pinch ground cinnamon

1 cup plain (unsweetened) almond milk

6 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting

⅓ cup virgin coconut oil

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted

2 cup icing sugar, sifted

6 Tbsp almond milk

DIRECTIONS

Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line muffin cups with 15 paper liners.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a large whisking bowl. Add the almond milk, oil, balsamic vinegar and vanilla and whisk well, until the batter is smooth. Spoon the batter into the paper cups (and ice cream scoop makes tidy work of this) and bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

Frosting

1. For the frosting, beat the coconut oil and brown sugar well until smooth. Add the vanilla and cocoa powder and beat well. Stir in 1 cup of the icing sugar, beating until smooth and then add the almond milk, followed by the remaining 1 cup of icing sugar, again beating well until smooth and fluffy.

2. Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and chill until ready to serve.

3. The cupcakes will keep for up to 3 days.