Description
Moist vegan spiced apple cider cupcakes with brown sugar caramel drizzle and vanilla buttercream.
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp all spice
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
Frosting & Drizzle:
- 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups powdered/icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
1 apple, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract and apple sauce. Stir until combined. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Mix to form a batter.
- Divide batter into muffin cups.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then, without opening the oven door, lower heat to 350 F and bake another 12-13 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool completely. See note for why we do this :).
- Meanwhile, in a small pot on the stove, combine brown sugar and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Reserve 2-3 tbsp in a small bowl, set aside, for the drizzle. Cool the rest of the mixture in the fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes.
- Add the sugar mixer to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the vegan butter, vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until creamy and fluffy.
- Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes. Add a a light drizzle of caramel onto each and garnish with a slice of apple (see note).
Notes
- You bake at a high temperature to get the cupcakes to lift quickly, then finish at a lower temperature to bake without burning. This is the way to get puffed, rounded cupcakes without eggs :).
- Only garnish with the apple slices right before serving, or they will get brown.