Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is right around the corner so you better surprise your mum with something really delicious and sweet.

These vegan vanilla cupcakes are frosted with a yummy cashew buttercream that make them look extra cute with its blue pastel color. To top it all off (pun intended) nothing better than a bunch of your favorite popcorn from Popcorn Shed’s huge range. This time I went for a mix of Mini Pop! Sea Salt flavor and Pecan Pie gourmet popcorn (please note this flavour is vegetarian not vegan).

Be a good son/daughter and prepare these cupcakes to make up for all those sleepless nights, tantrums, teenage rebellion…and so much more! ;-)

(Makes 12 cupcakes approx.)

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

1 ¼ cups spelt flour, sifted.

2 tablespoons potato starch.

1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder.

½ teaspoon pure vanilla powder.

¾ teaspoon baking powder.

½ teaspoon baking soda.

½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt.

1 cup unsweetened almond milk.

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar.

1/3 cup mild-tasting extra virgin olive oil.

½ cup raw cane sugar.
 

For the cashew buttercream frosting:

1 1/3 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight.

½ cup unsweetened almond milk.

¼ cup agave syrup.

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla powder.

1 tablespoon lemon juice.

A small pinch of salt.

¾ cup coconut oil, melted.

3 tablespoons cacao butter, melted.

Blue spirulina powder (natural food colouring), optional.

Toppings:

Popcorn Shed’s Mini Pop! Sea Salt popcorn. VEGAN

Popcorn Shed’s Pecan Pie gourmet popcorn. VEGETARIAN

Puffed quinoa.

Directions

To make the vegan vanilla cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 180 ºC and line a 12-cavitiy cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl sift together spelt flour, potato starch, psyllium husk powder, vanilla powder, baking powder, baking soda and a small pinch of salt. Mix with a wire whisk until combined and set aside.

In a separate bowl vigorously whisk the milk, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and cane sugar. Pour this wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until no large lumps remain.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full (so they rise evenly) and bake for 20 to 22 minutes.

Carefully unmould and transfer to a cooling rack so they cool completely.

To make the cashew buttercream frosting:

Soak the cashews in 2 cups of water with a small pinch of salt overnight.

Rinse well and place the cashews into your high-speed blender or food processor with the almond milk. Blend really well until you get a smooth cream with no lumps, you might need to stop and scrape the sides of the blender jug or bowl a few times. Add in the agave syrup, vanilla powder, lemon juice and salt. Blend again until completely combined and gradually pour in the melted coconut oil and cacao butter. The buttercream should look smooth and creamy.

Finally add in a small amount of blue spirulina powder until you get a nice pastel blue tone.

Transfer the cashew buttercream to an airtight container, cover the surface with plastic wrap, put the lid on and refrigerate until the cream sets and thickens. If it’s too hard right before frosting the cupcakes let it thaw at room temperature until it has a pipeable consistency.

Frost your cupcakes with the blue buttercream, top with Popcorn Shed’s Mini Pop! Sea Salt popcorn, gourmet Pecan Pie popcorn and puffed quinoa.

Store cupcakes covered in the refrigerator. 

Recipe by Gemma Gonzalez, author of the blog Cinnamon Girl.

Blog: http://cinnamongirldelights.blogspot.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cinnamongirlbcn/