Vegan Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes

I saw this easy recipe for Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes on Cupcake Wars, made with coconut oil, and it is seriously amazing. My fiance didn’t even realize they were vegan!

(Makes 12 Cupcakes)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coconut milk or water
• ½ cup melted Kelapo virgin coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons high quality vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• Frosting, recipe below
• 1 ½ cups hulled and sliced fresh strawberries
• Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners. Sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut milk or water, oil, vinegar, vanilla, and espresso powder until smooth, warming . Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix with a fork or small whisk.  Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners until each cup is 2/3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, slice off the top 1/3 of each cupcake and slather with frosting and sliced strawberries. Place the top of the cupcake back on top and add an additional bit of frosting and sliced strawberries. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Frosting

• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, preferably organic
• 1/2 cup melted Kelapo virgin coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup water

Combine the confectioners’ sugar, shortening, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until combined. With the mixer running, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until the desired buttercream consistency, not necessarily using all the water.

Try not to eat all of them in one sitting!

Find another great vegan recipe here!

-AR