Vegan Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes

I have been obsessing over this KitchenAid mixer for a little while now. 

I finally caved in and bought it last week and made some birthday cupcakes over the weekend. I found this great vegan chocolate cupcake recipe. It has no butter or eggs in it but it makes the moistest cake ever! Still not as great as cupcakes with tons of butter and eggs but WAY healthier! 

I added a coconut milk buttercream topped with toasted coconuts. 

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe: 

1 cup coconut milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

3/4 cup sugar 

1-2 tsp vanilla extract 

1 cup flour 

1/3 cup cocoa powder 

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda 

1/4 tsp salt 

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰C
2. Mix vinegar and milk together and let sit for about 5 minutes
3. Whisk milk and vinegar mixture with oil, sugar and vanilla 
4. In another large bowl, add all dry ingredients together 
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until smooth
6. Ladle the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about two-thirds of the way full. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes, until a bamboo skewer or tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
7. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool on rack. Once cool, you can coat with frosting. 

Coconut Milk Frosting:

3/4 cup coconut milk

1 tbsp flour 

3/4 cup butter 

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp coconut extract 

coconut flakes

1. In the cup you measure your coconut milk in, slowly add the flour while mixing.
2. In a small sauce pan, bring your milk and flour mixture to a boil over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened. 
3. Remove from heat and allow it to cool until room temperature. 
4. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. 
5. Add the milk mixture and extract beating on a high speed until it is the texture of whipped cream. 
6. OPTIONAL: add coconut flakes to your frosting. 

Toasted Coconut Flakes: 

1. Separate half of your coconut flakes 
2. In a pan covered with aluminum foil, sprinkle a thin layer of coconut flakes 
3. On low heat slowly toast coconut flakes until slightly golden
4. Add the toasted coconut flakes to your untoasted coconut flakes and mix 
5. Sprinkle on top of frosted cupcakes

ENJOY!