Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Preparation Time:  25 minutes
Cooking Time:  30 minutes

Servings: 16

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • Frosting, recipe follows
  • 1 1/2 cups hulled and sliced fresh strawberries
  • Confectioners sugar, for garnish, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 40 cups from 2 (24-cup) mini cupcake pans or 16 cups from 2 regular-size (12-cup) muffin pans with paper cupcake liners.

Sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut milk, oil, vinegar, vanilla, and espresso powder until smooth. 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. The cups should be filled about 2/3-full, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 22 minutes for the mini cupcakes and about 25 minutes for the regular-size cupcakes. Cool the cupcakes in the pans for 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

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, if using.

Frosting:

  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, preferably organic
  • 1/2 cup margarine (recommended: Earth Balance Organic Soy-Free Non-Hydrogenated Buttery Spread) OR 1/2 cup refined coconut oil, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup water

Combine the confectioners’ sugar, margarine, 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.

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Halloween Spider Web Cupcakes

Preparation Time:  30 minutes
Cooking Time:  45 minutes

Servings: 24

Ingredients
1 box(es) Super Moist German Chocolate cake mix

1/3 cup(s) grade-A dark maple syrup
1/2 cup(s) pumpkin pie filling
1 tub(s) Dark-Chocolate Fudge frosting (Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines etc.)
2 cup(s) white-chocolate chips

Directions

1. To Make the Cupcakes: Place paper liners in a muffin pan, then fill each liner two-thirds full with prepared cake mix. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, then set aside until cool. Repeat process until you’ve baked 24 cupcakes.
2. Transfer frosting into a bowl, microwave for 10 seconds, and stir; repeat until thin enough to pour. Dip cupcake upside down into frosting, submerging the top but not touching liner to frosting. Let excess drip off before turning upright. Continue until all cupcakes are glazed.
3. To Make the Cake Topper: Microwave white-chocolate chips in a bowl for 30 seconds and stir. Continue to microwave in 20-second intervals until almost melted. Stir again until chocolate is completely melted. Pour inside a freezer bag with one tip snipped off to create a piping sleeve.
4. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Slide spiderweb template underneath paper. To make each web, use piping sleeve to trace white chocolate along design, making sure to connect all lines. Repeat process until you’ve created 24 toppers. Chill them in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Then, using a spatula, remove webs carefully from parchment and position one on each cupcake.

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Cappuccino Cupcakes with Mocha Frosting

Preparation Time:  10 minutes
Cooking Time:  30 minutes

Servings: 24

Ingredients

  • 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
  • 1/4 cup instant cappuccino coffee powder
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 4 tablespoons milk
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
  • 1 cup hot water

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
  2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and 1/4 cup cappuccino. Pour in 1 1/4 cups water, 3 egg whites and 1 tablespoon oil. Mix well, then pour batter into cupcake pan.
  3. Bake in preheated oven according to package directions until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and cool completely.
  4. To make the Mocha Frosting: In a large bowl, combine shortening with vanilla. Blend in half of the confectioners’ sugar. Blend in 2 tablespoons milk. Repeat with remaining confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons milk. Mix in approximately half of the cocoa.
  5. Dissolve the 1 tablespoon instant coffee into 1 cup of hot water. While still warm, pour two tablespoons of the coffee into the frosting mixture. Mix in remaining cocoa. Add coffee mixture, a tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved. Fill and frost cupcakes.

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Preparation Time:  15 minutes
Cooking Time:  20 minutes

Servings: 24

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups white rice flour
  • 3/4 cup millet flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups white sugar
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with paper baking cups.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the rice flour, millet flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, baking powder and xanathan gum. In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, sour cream, milk and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter.

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